(JTA) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani touted the gains made by the Islamic Republic under the terms of the final agreement with the world powers on its nuclear program.
“Today is the end of oppressive sanctions. The chain of sanctions is broken,” Rouhani said Tuesday in an address to the nation after the announcement of the final deal. “Honorable Iranian nationals, all sanctions, including on missiles, will be lifted on days of implementation. Not suspended, lifted.
“At first they wanted us to have 100 centrifuges; now we will have 6,000. They wanted restrictions of 25 years; now it’s 8. Fordo had to be closed; now we will have 1,000 centrifuges there,” he said.
Rouhani also pointed out that the heavy water nuclear plant at Arak will continue operating, and that advanced centrifuges also will remain operational.
He crowed that the “Zionists,” in reference to Israel, were not able to scuttle the deal, which will see crippling sanctions lifted.
“Today people in Lebanon and Palestine are happy because Zionists have tried to block this deal but failed,” he said.
Rouhani asserted that “Iran has never ever sought a nuclear bomb.” He said the biggest achievement of Tuesday’s agreement “is that there is a new atmosphere in the region.”
“Today the most important countries in the world recognize our right to nuclear energy,” he said. “Today is end and also the beginning.”
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