Obama: Not all Iran deal makers agree with US approach

By Esra Kaymak Avci

WASHINGTON

While world leaders responsible for a nuclear deal with Iran agree the accord has been a “substantial success” thus far, not all concur to U.S. policy, President Barack Obama said Friday.

Following a meeting with the group of P5+1 leaders, along with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Obama said the deal focused on the dangers of nuclear proliferation in an "effective way."

The meeting opened a global nuclear summit here that focuses in part on preventing terror groups from acquiring nuclear weapons and materials.

Obama said the U.S. continued to enforce sanctions on "Iran’s support for terrorism, human rights abuses, and ballistic missile programs," adding, however, that it was the U.S.’s approach and not all countries agreed.

The path forward to ensure the complete success of the nuclear deal would not be easy, he said, and it would take time to fully reintegrate Iran into the global economy.

The P5+1 that includes China, France, Russia, the U.K., the U.S., plus Germany, reached a deal with Tehran last July to curb Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for the relief of crippling economic sanctions.

Implementation of the deal began in January with the IAEA responsible for monitoring Iran's compliance with the agreement.