The U.S. And Iran Finally Have a Deal

At long last Iran and the major world powers, led by the United States, reached a deal forcing Iran to halt its production of nuclear weapons. The agreement gives Iran billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions. In return, Iran must promise to drastically reduce its production of uranium, the key ingredient in nuclear weapons. "Today, after two years of negotiation, the United States, together with the international community, has achieved something that decades of animosity has not: a comprehensive long-term deal with Iran that will prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon," President Obama said from the White House. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani praised the deal via Twitter.

Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia participated in the negotiations alongside the United States. Iran understands that the United Nations-imposed embargo that prevents it from receiving arms will continue for up to five years. In the meantime, Iran will begin to see a return of hundreds of billions of dollars of assets, oil from Europe, and relaxed restrictions on its banks. Israel has long opposed a deal with Iran. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu called the agreement a "historic mistake."

The U.S. Congress has 60 days to review the intricacies of the deal and vote it up or down. Obama pledges to veto any attempt by Congress to obstruct it.