Iran nuclear accord is that big a deal

IN A dramatic breakthrough, Iran and the P5+1 - the United States, China, Russia, France, United Kingdom and Germany - on Tuesday reached a final, comprehensive deal to curb Teheran's nuclear programme while gradually easing international sanctions. Despite criticism of it, the deal is a major historic landmark that could have profound geopolitical and economic consequences in the Middle East and beyond.

The importance, complexity and tough nature of the entire 18-month talks process is underlined by the fact that John Kerry stayed for almost three weeks in Vienna to seal the final deal, making his engagement the longest negotiation at a single site by a US secretary of state since World War II some seven decades ago. This investment of effort underlines that the accord is perceived by the administration as a very significant foreign policy victory.

This is not only because, as US President Barack Obama has said, a final deal will "take a big piece of business off the table and begin a long process in which the relationship not just between Iran and (the United States) but the relationship between Iran and the world, and the region, begins to change". In addition, a lasting settlement will constitute an important win for long-standing efforts to combat nuclear non-proliferation. And this comes at a crucial time when, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, over 40 countries have expressed interest in joining the "club" of 30 states with nuclear energy.