Rouhani hails new era of international cooperation

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani pledged Friday that his nation will abide by its commitments in the nuclear agreement reached the previous day in Switzerland.

Rouhani said Iranians will “remain loyal and stand by the promises” they made.

He said Iranians “do not seek to deceive” the international community.

Rouhani also expressed his belief that the deal with world powers would open a “new page” for the country’s international relations and lead to “constructive interaction.”

In the live televised address, Rouhani also said a final agreement would depend on both sides living up to their commitments.

“If the other side honors its promises, we will honor our promises,” he said.

But Iran’s hard-liners criticized the tentative nuclear agreement, saying the deal was a bargain for the West and a disaster for Iran. Meanwhile supporters of the deal compared Iran’s conservative opposition to the Israeli government — which remains heavily critical of the agreement.

The preliminary agreement places various limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for an end to crippling economic sanctions.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who signed the agreement, received a hero’s welcome upon his arrival back to Tehran on Friday from the latest round of talks in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Crowds of cheering supporters surrounded Zarif’s vehicle and chanted slogans supporting him and President Hassan Rouhani. One of the chants also offered sarcastic “condolences” to both Israel and to the Kayhan newspaper — which has opposed the negotiations from the start.

Zarif tried to reassure Iranians that the country’s nuclear program will continue but said any negotiation requires give and take. “It is not supposed to be one party receiving all the concessions and the other party surrendering,” he said.

Zarif also expressed his gratitude for Khamenei’s support for his team and said Thursday’s agreement, will be a “base for drafting the final agreement,” in July.

Another member of the negotiating team — Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s atomic agency — said, “I see the future very bright and shining.”

Iran and the global powers sealed a breakthrough agreement Thursday outlining limits on Iran’s nuclear program designed to prevent the country from developing atomic weapons. The West has long suspected Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Iran denies the charge, saying its nuclear research is focused on peaceful purposes like power generation and cancer treatment.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press