International negotiators announced a landmark agreement Tuesday to limit Iran’s nuclear program.
Excerpts of the agreement shed light on some details of the pact, which was crafted by seven countries during 20 months of negotiations. The text of the full agreement appears to have been released by the Russian government.
While unanswered questions about the deal remain, here’s what’s known right now.
Iran’s commitments:
Uranium stockpile: Iran has agreed to slash its stockpile of enriched uranium by about 98 percent, from about 10,000 kilograms to less than 300 kg over 15 years. That uranium must be kept at a low-enrichment level — at 3.67 percent or less — that would prevent it from being used in a weapon over that period.
Centrifuges: The deal cuts Iran’s nuclear centrifuges by about 66 percent over 10 years, from about 20,000 to 6,000. Those centrifuges are used to isolate the isotopes needed to develop nuclear-grade materials.
Heavy water reactor: Iran will rebuild its Arak heavy water reactor so that it can no longer produce weapons-grade plutonium. The country also won’t be allowed to build a new heavy water reactor for 15 years.
Breakout time: The deal would extend Iran’s breakout time for a nuclear weapon — the time it would need to amass enough nuclear material to build a bomb — to one year, according to the White House. Iran has also agreed to restrictions on other activities required to turn nuclear material into weapons.
Nuclear weapons: Iran underscored a promise to never seek a nuclear weapon, giving the international community more leverage if it violates that pledge. Iran has also agreed to issue a statement that accounts for military aspects of the nuclear program.
But despite those promises, the agreement doesn’t completely dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. Critics argue that giving Iran any ability to manufacture nuclear ingredients is unacceptable.
U.S. and international commitments:
