CRI听力:Iran Nuclear Talks Reach Outline Deal

In announcing the preliminary agreement in the Swiss city of Lausanne, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is applauding all-involved in getting a deal done.

"Today we have taken a decisive step. We have reached solutions on key parameters of a joint comprehensive plan of action. The political determination, the goodwill and the hard work of all parties made it possible."

This follows 8 days of intense diplomacy, which is the culmination of 18 months of off-and-on negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is describing the deal as "a major step forward".

"We have stopped a cycle that was not in the interest of anybody. Not in the interest of non-proliferation and not in the interest of anybody to one that will in fact be a gain for all parties concerned."

Under the preliminary deal, Iran will shut down more than two-thirds of its centrifuges for 10 years, reduce 98 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium for 15 years, dismantle a reactor that could produce plutonium, and accept verification.

In exchange, economic sanctions currently imposed on Tehran are to be rolled back, but only after the United Nations confirms compliance.

If at any time Iran fails to fulfill its commitments, the sanctions will -quote- "snap back" into place.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, along side Iran, will now start writing the text of a comprehensive accord to be reached by June 30th that is expected to end the 12-year nuclear standoff.

U.S. President Barack Obama is describing the breakthrough as historic, saying it meets Washington's core objectives.

"This framework would cut off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran will face strict limitations on its program and Iran has also agreed to the most robust and intrusive inspections and transparency regime ever negotiated for any nuclear program in history. So, this deal is not based on trust, it's based on uNPRecedented verification."

At the same time, the Obama administration is cautioning that only full-implementation of the deal will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

US Secretary of State John Kerrry.

"And of course, once we're able to finalize a comprehensive deal, the process of implementation then remains in front of us as well. But that's a good challenge to have, frankly."

Both Obama and Kerry are also warning their domestic critics in Congress not to do anything to sabotage their diplomatic efforts until the deal is finalized by the end of June.

Meanwhile, critics abroad, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, appear much less positive about the deal.

Both the Israelis and the Saudis have expressed concerns about the concessions which will allow Iran to maintain significant portions of its nuclear program.

Israel has dismissed the framework deal as being detached from reality, vowing it will continue lobbying world powers against a "bad" final deal.

For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.