8/13/2019 Joint Plan of Action on iran nuclear program

1/4

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 16, 2014

Summary of Technical Understandings Related to the Implementation of the Joint Plan of

Action on the Islamic Republic of Irans Nuclear Program

On January 12, 2014, the P5+1 (the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, andChina, coordinated by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton) and Iran arrived at technicalunderstandings for the Joint Plan of Action, which will be implemented beginning on January 20,2014.

The Joint Plan of Action marks the first time in nearly a decade that the Islamic Republic of Iranhas agreed to specific actions that stop the advance of its nuclear program, roll back key aspectsof the program, and include unprecedented access for international inspectors. The technicalunderstandings set forth how the provisions of the Joint Plan of Action will be implemented andverified, and the timing of implementation of its provisions. Specifically, the technical

understandings specify the actions that Iran will take to limit its enrichment capacity at Natanzand Fordow, as well as the limits on safeguarded research and development (R&D); the actionsIran will take to implement its commitments not to fuel the Arak reactor or install remainingcomponents at the reactor; and the actions Iran will take to facilitate International Atomic EnergyAgency (IAEA) verification and confirmation that Iran is fully implementing thesecommitments. The understandings also clarify the reciprocal actions that the P5+1 and the EUwill take.

Between now and January 20th, Iran, the IAEA, the United States, and our international partners,will take the remaining required steps to begin implementing the Joint Plan of Action on thatdate.

What Iran Has Committed To Do

On January 20th, the IAEA will report on the current status of Irans nuclear program, andparticularly on its uranium enrichment program and the Arak reactor. The IAEA will also reporton several specific steps that Iran has committed to take by or on the first day of implementation,including:

Halting production of near-20% enriched uranium and disabling theconfiguration of the centrifuge cascades Iran has been using to produce it.

Starting to dilute half of the near-20% enriched uranium stockpile thatis in hexafluoride form, and continuing to convert the rest to oxide formnot suitable for further enrichment.

In addition, over the course of the Joint Plan of Action, the IAEA will verify that Iran is:

Not enriching uranium in roughly half of installed centrifuges at Natanz and three-quarters ofinstalled centrifuges at Fordow, including all next generation centrifuges.

Limiting its centrifuge production to those needed to replace damaged machines, so Iran cannot usethe six-month period to stockpile centrifuges.

8/13/2019 Joint Plan of Action on iran nuclear program

2/4

Not constructing additional enrichment facilities.

Not going beyond its current enrichment R&D practices.

Not commissioning or fueling the Arak reactor.

Halting the production and additional testing of fuel for the Arak reactor.

Not installing any additional reactor components at Arak.

Not transferring fuel and heavy water to the Arak reactor site.

Not constructing a facility capable of reprocessing. Without reprocessing, Iran cannot separateplutonium from spent fuel.

Iran has also committed to a schedule for taking certain actions during the six-month period.This includes:

Completion of dilution of half of its stockpile of near-20% uranium hexafluoride inthree months, and completion of conversion of the rest of that material to oxide in six

months.

A cap on the permitted size of Irans up to 5% enriched uranium stockpile at theend of the six-month period.

Verification Mechanisms

To ensure Iran is fulfilling its commitments, the IAEA will be solely responsible for verifying andconfirming all nuclear-related measures, consistent with its ongoing inspection role in Iran. Inaddition, the EU, P5+1 and Iran will establish a Joint Commission to work with the IAEA tomonitor implementation of the Joint Plan of Action. The Joint Commission will also work withthe IAEA to facilitate resolution of past and present concerns with respect to Irans nuclearprogram.

The Joint Commission will be composed of experts of the EU, P5+1 and Iran, and it will conveneat least monthly to consider the implementation of the Joint Plan of Action and any issues thatmay arise. Any decisions that are required on the basis of these discussions will be referred tothe Political Directors of the EU, the P5+1, and Iran.

Transparency and Monitoring

Iran committed in the Joint Plan of Action to provide increased and unprecedented transparencyinto its nuclear program, including through more frequent and intrusive inspections as well asexpanded provision of information to the IAEA.

The Iranian enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow will now be subject to daily IAEAinspector access as set out in the Joint Plan of Action (as opposed to every few weeks). The IAEAand Iran are working to update procedures, which will permit IAEA inspectors to reviewsurveillance information on a daily basis to shorten detection time for any Iranian non-compliance. In addition, these facilities will continue to be subjected to a variety of other physicalinspections, including scheduled and unannounced inspections.

The Arak reactor and associated facilities will be subject to at least monthly IAEA inspections an increase fromthe current inspection schedule permitting IAEA access approximately once every three months or longer.

8/13/2019 Joint Plan of Action on iran nuclear program

3/4

Iran has also agreed to provide for the first time:

Long-sought design information on the Arak reactor;

Figures to verify that centrifuge production will be dedicated to the replacement of damaged machines;

and

Information to enable managed access at centrifuge assembly workshops, centrifuge rotor productionworkshops and storage facilities, and uranium mines and mills.

These enhanced monitoring measures will enable the IAEA to provide monthly updates to the Joint Commission on the status of Irans implementation of its commitments and enable theinternational community to more quickly detect breakout or the diversion of materials to a secretprogram.

What the P5+1 and EU Have Committed To Do

As part of this initial step, the P5+1 and EU will provide limited, temporary, and targeted relief toIran. The total value of the relief is between $6 and $7 billion a small fraction of the $100 billionin Iranian foreign exchange holdings that will continue to be blocked or restricted. Some reliefwill be provided from the first day; most will be provided in installments over the span of theentire six-month period. The relief is structured so that the overwhelming majority of thesanctions regime, including the key oil, banking, and financial sanctions architecture, remains inplace and sanctions will continue to be vigorously implemented throughout the six-monthperiod.

Once the IAEA has confirmed Iran is implementing its commitments, in return the P5+1 and EUhave committed to do the following on the first day of implementation:

Suspend the i mplementation of sanctions on Irans petrochemical exports and Irans imports of goodsand services for its automotive manufacturing sector.

Suspend sanctions on Irans import and export of gold and other precious metals, with significantlimitations that prevent Iran from using its restricted assets overseas to pay for these purchases.

License expeditiously the supply of spare parts and services, including inspection services, for the safetyof flight of Irans civil aviation sector.

Pause efforts to further reduce purchases of crude oil from Iran by the six economies still purchasing oilfrom Iran.

Facilitate the establishment of a financial channel intended to support humanitarian trade that is alreadypermitted with Iran and facili tate payments for UN obligations and tuition payments for students

studying abroad.

Modify the thresholds for EU internal procedures for the authorization of financial transactions.

The P5+1 and EU have also committed to take certain actions to facilitate Irans access to $4.2billion in restricted Iranian funds on a set schedule at regular intervals throughout the sixmonths. Access to a small portion of these funds will be linked to Irans progress in completingthe dilution process for near-20% enriched uranium. Iran will not have access to the finalinstallment of the $4.2 billion until the last day of the six-month period.

8/13/2019 Joint Plan of Action on iran nuclear program

4/4

The installments will be released on the schedule below, contingent on the IAEA confirming thatIran is fulfilling its commitments.

February 1st - $550 million (installment #1)

March 1st - $450million (contingent on the IAEA confirming that Iran has c ompleteddilution of half of the stockpile of near-20% enriched uranium it is required to dilute)

March 7th - $550 million (installment #2)

April 10th - $550 million (installment #3)

April 15th - $450million (contingent on the IAEA confirming that Iran has c ompleteddilution of its entire stockpile of near-20% enriched uranium it is required to dilute)

May 14th - $550 million (installment #4)

June 17th - $550 million (installment #5)

July 20th - $550million (installment #6 is on day 180) (contingent on the IAEA confirmingthat Iran has fulfilled all of its commitments)

A Comprehensive Solution

With this implementation plan, we have made concrete progress. We will now focus on thecritical work of pursuing a comprehensive resolution that addresses our concerns over Iransnuclear program. Shortly after the Joint Plan of Action takes effect on January 20th, the UnitedStates will determine with our P5+1 partners our approach to the comprehensive solution.Discussions with Iran will follow that coordination process.

With respect to the comprehensive solution, nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to.We have no illusions about how hard it will be to achieve this objective, but for the sake of ournational security and the peace and security of the world, now is the time to give diplomacy achance to succeed.