Iranian parliament passes nuclear deal bill

Iran's parliament passed a bill on Tuesday supporting a nuclear deal with world powers, signaling a victory for the government over conservative opponents of the agreement and clearing the way for it to be implemented.

Many lawmakers strongly opposed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that President Hassan Rouhani's government reached with world powers on July 14, and Tuesday's vote removes an obstacle to putting the agreement into practice.

"Members of parliament made a well-considered decision today showing they have a good understanding of the country's situation," government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in a televised news conference after the vote.

The bill was passed with 161 votes for, 59 against and 13 abstentions, state news agency IRNA said. It had passed a preliminary vote on Sunday by a smaller margin, and will now be submitted to a clerical body for final approval and passage into law.

The bill stipulates that inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, need approval from a top Iranian security body before visiting military sites, leaving the possibility that disagreements could still arise.

The bill also says Iran should resume its nuclear activities, which it is curbing under the JCPOA, if international sanctions are not lifted as agreed.

Under the July 14 deal with the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, Tehran accepted strict limitations on its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from the sanctions that have crippled its economy.

The draft law also called on the government to continue developing its military power, suggesting Tehran will maintain its active role in Middle Eastern conflicts, where its interests have clashed with those of Western and Gulf Arab powers.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.