Historic windfall will test Iran's true intentions

There was a time when only a naive observer would have predicted a moment when Iran sacrificed the core of its nuclear programme and the West lifted the toughest sanctions in return.

Yet that was on the verge of happening on Saturday. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was on the brink of certifying that Iran had defanged its nuclear ambitions in accordance with last year's agreement; America and its allies, meanwhile, were about to relax the iron grip of one of the most suffocating sanctions regimes in history.

The first point to emphasise is the historic importance of these events. Iran's regime used to portray its nuclear programme as an emblem of national pride that would never be relinquished or scaled down. The rest of the Middle East would shiver over the centrifuges and mysterious reactors that appeared to lack any purpose save to give Iran's leaders the option of building the ultimate weapon.

The first point to emphasise is the historic importance of these events. Iran's regime used to portray its nuclear programme as an emblem of national pride that would never be relinquished or scaled down. The rest of the Middle East would shiver over the centrifuges and mysterious reactors that appeared to lack any purpose save to give Iran's leaders the option of building the ultimate weapon.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/12103567/Historic-windfall-will-test-Tehrans-true-intentions.html