Obama extends national emergency on Iran

In a letter to Congress on Thursday, US President Barack Obama extended Washington’s national emergency with respect to Iran, which was originally placed on Tehran in light of the hostage crisis in November 1979.

“Our relations with Iran have not yet returned to normal, and the process of implementing the agreements with Iran, dated Jan. 19, 1981, is still under way,” Obama wrote in the letter.

He added: “For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency … with respect to Iran.

“The national emergency with respect to Iran that was declared in Executive Order 12170 of November 14, 1979, is to continue.”

Obama’s administration pushed for diplomacy to end any possible threats to the US and its allies emanating from Iran’s development of its nuclear capabilities.

The US leader was behind the historic Iran nuclear deal with P5+1 powers, agreed upon last year, which saw Tehran agree to amend its nuclear output in order to lift all nuclear-related economic sanctions, freeing up tens of billions of dollars in oil revenue and frozen assets.

During the Iran hostage crisis, 52 American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for a total of 444 days after a group of Iranian students stormed the US Embassy in Tehran after the Iranian Revolution overthrew the shah.

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http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2016/11/05/Obama-extends-national-emergency-against-Iran-.html