Iran awards medals to its nuclear negotiating team

Iran's defence minister Hossein Dehghan (left), foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (second from right) and Ali Akbar Salehi (right), the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, pose for pictures after receiving medals from President Hassan Rouhani (second from left) in Tehran on Monday. — AFP

Iran awarded medals of honour on Monday to its nuclear negotiators who helped clinch a landmark deal with world powers last year. President Hassan Rouhani awarded the “Medal of Merit” to foreign minister Muhammad Javad Zarif and the “Medal of Courage” to defence minister Hossein Dehghan and vice-president Ali Akbar Salehi, who is also the country’s nuclear chief.

The historic July 14 agreement brought about the lifting of international economic sanctions last month after the United Nations certified that Iran has met all its commitments to curbing its nuclear activities.

“We passed behind us difficult days, difficult hours and nights,” Mr Rouhani said at the ceremony.

“But we did not lose the right path and God did not leave us alone.” Mr Rouhani was a strong supporter of the nuclear negotiations and backed the agreement in the face of fierce internal resistance from hardliners. The agreement and the lifting of sanctions were seen as a major accomplishment for Mr Rouhani, who was elected in 2013 on a platform promising constructive engagement with the outside world. On Monday Rouhani expressed particular gratitude for the support he received from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.