[JURIST] Representatives of Iran and the six nations committed to reaching a long-term nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic made progress [AP report] towards a final agreement to lift sanctions in exchange for increased nuclear restrictions and surveillance on Saturday. The proposed deal would impose a decade of restrictions on the Iranian government and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) [official website] in exchange for the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia lifting imposed sanctions. The Iranian people stand to benefit tremendously from the removal of the economically targeted sanctions, however, many details of the ‘Annex II’ plan remain undecided including the appropriate consequence if Iran does not honor the terms of the agreement. The confidential negotiations in Vienna are expected to be concluded by July 7.

Over the past several years Iran has been subject to numerous sanctions for its contentious nuclear program. Iranian leaders have repeatedly claimed [JURIST report] that the developing nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the international community, Israel in particular, worries that Iran’s enrichment program was designed for military purposes. The US and France agreed [JURIST report] in March to strengthen nuclear talks with Iran to persuade the nation to restrain its nuclear program in exchange for relief from sanctions and in April Iran agreed [JURIST report] to a framework deal to restrict its nuclear plan. A report obtained by the Associated Press in July from the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) [official website] showed [JURIST report] that Iran has been keeping its commitment as part of a preliminary nuclear deal from 2013 barring Iran from expanding nuclear programs during negotiations.