Spotlight: World hails Iranian nuclear deal, sanctions relief in sight

Many countries and world organizations expressed welcome to the hard-won deal on the Iranian nuclear program, which promised an end to sanctions hampering the nation's economy.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday "warmly" welcomed "the historic agreement" reached in Vienna on the Iran nuclear issue, calling it a "testament to the value of dialogue."

The secretary-general congratulated the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany and Iran for reaching this agreement, said a statement at the UN headquarters.

European Council President Donald Tusk on Tuesday said in a statement that the latest agreement on Iran's nuclear program represents a breakthrough.

"If fully implemented, the agreement could be a turning point in relations between Iran and the international community, paving the way to new avenues of cooperation between the EU and Iran. Geopolitically, it has the potential to be a game changer," said Tusk.

The deal inked by Teheran and six major world powers is a step to protect world stability, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

"Despite the attempts to justify forceful scenarios, the negotiators made a firm choice in favor of stability and cooperation, which will be assigned to a UN Security Council resolution," the Kremlin press service cited Putin as saying.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) sent a message of congratulation Tuesday to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan expressed hope that the agreement will contribute to regional security and stability, UAE state news agency WAM reported.

Commending all parties for their perseverance in a statement, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, "this agreement represents a historic breakthrough which, once fully implemented, will strengthen international security."

Norway on Tuesday welcomed the historic deal after over a decade of lengthy negotiations.

"I welcome today's agreement on Iran's nuclear program. This historic agreement will benefit the international community, the Middle East and Iran. It will also pave the way for closer political and economic contact with Iran," Norway's Foreign Minister Borge Brende said in a statement.

The minister called for its effective implementation, a focal point among the Western countries seeking an end to what they believed attempts by Tehran to develop nuclear weapons after the agreement was reached on Tuesday.

"It is important that today's agreement is implemented as effectively as possible," Brende said. "This is Iran's responsibility. Verifying compliance with the agreement, particularly with regard to concerns about its possible military dimensions, is vital."

Praising the much-awaited "historic" agreement, French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday said "it's now time for action" to implement "a serious and verifiable" nuclear agreement.

"This is the good deal that we have sought," said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, adding the deal would secure that Tehran would not obtain a nuclear weapon under international monitor regime.

The comprehensive Iranian nuclear deal was reached at the end of the two-day diplomatic efforts in Vienna, culminated 20 months of negotiations to end a 12-year crisis over Iran's nuclear program.

It is to be presented to the UN Security Council in the next few days. The text of the deal specifies key areas of the Iranian nuclear issue, including sanctions relief and capping of Iran's nuclear capacity.

"I don't expect there will be any obstacles in the UNSC for adoption of a corresponding resolution," said Andrei Baklitsky, an expert at the Russian Center for Policy Studies.

However, he expressed concerns for possible delay in its implementation in Washington, as the U.S. Congress now has 60 days to ratify the agreement, instead of the 30 days in case the deal was inked by July 9.

There is a powerful pro-Israeli lobby in the U.S. Congress, while Israel has immediately called the Vienna deal a "historic mistake," said Baklitsky. Endi