UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council Monday unanimously endorsed the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers and adopted a series of measures leading to the end of UN sanctions that have hurt the Iranian economy.
The US-drafted resolution was approved in a 15-0 vote also provides a mechanism for UN sanctions to "snap back" in place if Iran fails to meet its obligations.
The resolution had already been approved by the five veto-wielding council members, who along with Germany negotiated the deal with Iran to rein in its nuclear programme. The 10 non-permanent council members were briefed on the draft and none objected to the text.
The vote took place at 9 am local time (6 PM PST), earlier than usual because European Union foreign ministers wanted the resolution adopted before their discussion on the Iran deal on Monday afternoon in Brussels.
Under the agreement Iran's nuclear programme will be curbed for a decade in exchange for potentially hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of relief from international sanctions. Many key penalties on the Iranian economy, such as those related to the energy and financial sectors, could be lifted by the end of the year.
The UN vote comes as US lawmakers begin their own review of the agreement. President Barack Obama's administration sent it to Congress on Sunday, setting off a 60-day review period. Lawmakers can choose to approve the deal or reject it and refuse to lift congressionally-imposed sanctions against Iran. Obama has said he would veto any rejection.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted President Obama will have a “real challenge” getting the pact through a skeptical, Republican-led Congress, and criticised it as “the best deal acceptable to Iran, rather than one that might actually end Iran’s nuclear programme."
Experts say If US lawmakers were to decide after Monday's vote that they wanted changes to the terms of the agreement, it would essentially be too late, because it would require the Security Council to propose a new resolution - and there would likely be little appetite for such deliberations among the other negotiating partners.
Some US lawmakers had asked the Security Council vote to be postponed.
The draft resolution specifies that seven resolutions related to UN sanctions will be terminated when Iran has completed a series of major steps to curb its nuclear programme and the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded that "all nuclear material in Iran remains in peaceful activities."
All provisions of the UN resolution will terminate in 10 years, including the snap back provision.
But the six major powers - the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany - and the European Union sent a letter informing UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that they have agreed to extend the snap back mechanism for an additional five years. They asked Ban to send the letter to the Security Council.
US Defence Secretary Ash Carter is on a tour of the Middle East as part of efforts to ease fears about the nuclear deal. Carter began the trip in Israel Sunday and will travel to Saudi Arabia as well as Jordan.
On Tuesday, Carter will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has called the deal a "historic mistake" that would only make it easier for Iran to back its proxies in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia has officially said it supports the deal, although it is also thought to have similar concerns to Israel's that the agreement will enhance the Iran's influence across the Middle East.
“One of the reasons this deal is a good one is that it does nothing to prevent the military option... which we are preserving and continually improving,” Carter told reporters en route to Tel Aviv. “But the point of the nuclear deal is to get the result of no Iranian nuclear weapon without carrying out a military strike.” He said he does not expect to change Israeli officials’ minds about the deal, but said the two countries could “agree to disagree.”
In a series of high-profile television appearances Sunday, US Secretary of State John Kerry addressed the American public for the first time since signing off on the Iran nuclear deal last week.
Kerry said the agreement, which culminated from months of talks between the top diplomats of Iran and the group that includes the US, Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany, likely won't restart diplomatic relations with Tehran.
A visit by the secretary to Iran is "not being contemplated," Kerry told ABC News’ programme This Week.
The United States ambassador, Samantha Power, speaking immediately after the vote, told the Council that sanctions relief would start only when Iran “verifiably” meets its obligations under the deal.
“We have a responsibility to test diplomacy,” she said.
In an effort to assuage critics, including Israel, Ms Power went on to say that the United States would continue to scrutinise the “instability that Iran fuels beyond its nuclear programme.”
She also called on Iran “to immediately release all unjustly detained Americans,” a reference to three Americans of Iranian descent who have been incarcerated in Iran, including one for nearly four years.
The ambassadors from France and Russia both described the resolution as historic, but used their Council pulpit to emphasise their own positions. The French ambassador, François Delattre, said the pact must be carefully monitored. “We will judge by its actions Iran’s willingness to make this agreement a success,” he said.
The Russian envoy, Vitaly Churkin, indirectly nudged the United States to do its part. “We expect all countries will quickly adopt to the new conditions,” he said.