Iranians hail negotiators, celebrate announcement of deal
'Thank you, Rouhani,' Iranians shout after Iran, world powers reach framework nuclear agreement; but hardliners call deal 'a disaster.'
A crowd of well-wishers hailed Iranian negotiators Friday as they returned to Tehran after agreeing the framework of a potentially historic nuclear deal with world powers, Iranian news agencies reported.
Several dozen people greeted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his team as they left Tehran's Mehr Abad airport after returning from the negotiations in Lausanne, the ISNA news agency reported.
"Viva Zarif! Viva Araghchi!" the crowd chanted, in reference to the minister and top negotiator Abbas Araghchi.
In one video posted on Facebook, a group of women can be heard clapping and chanting "Thank you, Rouhani," in praise of President Hassan Rouhani.
The framework agreement is likely to boost Rouhani's popularity among the millions of young Iranians who voted for him in 2013.
So far, there has been no overt criticism of the framework agreement by Rouhani's hardline critics, but they fell short of praising the deal.
Hossein Shariatmadari, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and editor of the hard-line Kayhan daily told the semi-official Fars news agency on Friday that Iran exchanged its "ready-to-race horse with a broken bridle."
Another conservative analyst, Mahdi Mohammad, referred to the Fordo underground uranium enrichment facility and told the news outlet that under the deal, "A disaster happened in Fordo."
Iran agreed to stop enrichment at Fordo, changing the facility to a nuclear research center. The proposed deal limits Iran's nuclear program in return for an end to crippling economic sanctions.
Fatemeh Hashemian, 26, said she wanted a nuclear deal to help foreigners see her country in a better light. "I wish Iran could make progress like this everyday and have no more sanctions imposed on the country," she said. "I hope that this wrong image of Iran will be erased. And that our relations with the world can improve."
Appearing on state TV shortly after it was announced, hardline parliamentarian Alaeddin Borujerdi aimed his barbs at US President Barack Obama and his characterization of Iran's role in the region rather than the agreement.
In a sign of the mooted agreement's potentially enormous historical impact, Iranian state television screened US President Barack Obama's televised address live, with translation in Farsi.
As Obama was speaking, young Iranians took selfies with the president in the background and posted the pictures on Twitter.
But although there was hope, some Iranians said they wouldn't be convinced that anything would change until a deal is signed and sealed.
"It's not clear until we can see it in action," said Reza Riahizadeh, a 39-year-old engineer who was watching at home on television with his family. "They might dodge cancelling the sanctions. No one knows. Nothing is certain until it is done in reality."
The framework agreement was reached after more than a week of intense diplomacy between an Iranian team of negotiators led by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and negotiating teams from the United States, Britain, Russia, France, China and Germany.
Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and the framework agreement is intended to introduce curbs and inspections on the program.
If a final settlement is reached, it would roll back harsh sanctions that have hammered Iran's economy and made the lives of ordinary Iranians more difficult.
Hassan Khudiarah, a 38-year-old taxi driver waiting for a fare halfway through a shift that would not end until 7.00 am, was optimistic.
"It is a very good step for us," he said as fellow drivers stepped out of their cars to share the news at Argentine Square in downtown Tehran. "I hope one day our problems will end and we will be treated as a friend by those who don't seem to like us, but don't know us. We don't want conflict."
Reuters, AP and AFP contributed to this report
