Relief Sweeps Tehran As Nuclear Deal Raises Hopes On Economy
By Lionel Barber, Roula Khalaf and Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran
Relief rather than euphoria swept through the streets of Tehran on Sunday after world powers reached a historic deal to curb Iran’s nuclear programme, in return for easing crippling sanctions aimed at preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Despite Israel warning of a “historic mistake”, Iran held out hope of an end to its own isolation and eventual economic revival.
The US and its partners – Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany – hailed the agreement freezing key elements of Iran’s nuclear programme as a victory for diplomacy and vindication of a successful sanctions strategy.
Among Iranians shopping in central Tehran, the verdict was near unanimous: Iran has pulled back from bristling confrontation to a pragmatic approach aimed at giving the new government led by President Hassan Rouhani breathing space to tackle an economy struggling with rocketing inflation, recession and high unemployment.
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