Inspectors arrive in Iran to monitor nuclear deal
TEHRAN, Iran – A team of international inspectors arrived in Iran on Saturday ahead of the Islamic Republic opening its nuclear program as part of a landmark deal struck with world powers to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions being eased.
Iranian state television reported inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations agency, landed in Tehran. It said nuclear engineer Massimo Aparo will lead the team, which will visit Natanz and Fordo, Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities.
The inspectors will monitor Iran’s compliance with terms of a historic deal reached Nov. 24 in Geneva between the Islamic Republic and the so-called P5+1 world powers – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. The deal will take effect Monday.
Under the deal, Iran has agreed to halt production of 20 percent enriched uranium, which is just steps away from bomb-making material. Iran will be able to continue enrichment up to 5 percent. It also will eliminate its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium.
In return, some Western sanctions to be lifted against Iran. The deal will last for six months as Iran and the world powers negotiate a final deal.
Egyptian voters approve constitution
CAIRO – Voters overwhelmingly supported Egypt’s military-backed constitution in a two-day election, with 98.1 percent supporting it in the first vote since a coup toppled the country’s president, the election commission said Saturday.
The election was seen as key to legitimizing its military-backed interim government and wasn’t a surprise, as authorities lobbied the public extensively to support it.
Egypt’s High Election Commission said 38.6 percent of the country’s more than 53 million eligible voters took part in the two-day poll Tuesday and Wednesday. Judge Nabil Salib, who heads the commission, said 20.6 million voters cast ballots, with some 20.3 million votes counted after eliminating those voided.
Salib called the vote an “unrivalled success” and “an unprecedented turnout.” However, a similar referendum in 2012 supported by Morsi’s government saw a 32.9 percent turnout.
Iranian diplomat killed in drive-by in Yemen
SANAA, Yemen – Gunmen killed an Iranian diplomat in a drive-by shooting in Yemen’s capital Saturday, security and medical officials said, the latest attack on Iran’s diplomatic corps in the Middle East in recent months.
Iranian state television announced that Ali Asghar Asadi, Iran’s economic attaché in Sanaa, was “martyred.” The broadcast said Asadi was attacked while driving and suffered four gunshot wounds to the chest and stomach. It did not elaborate.
Relations between Iran and Yemen have soured over what Sanaa calls Iranian meddling in its domestic affairs. But Yemen’s Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi quickly condemned Saturday’s attack, calling it a “terrorist criminal act” targeting bilateral relations. Al-Qirbi said the two countries want to avoid any attempts to harm relations.
Associated Press
