Iran’s vice president: Nuclear deal a boost to reformists

Iranian Vice President Masumeh Ebtekar described the recent landmark deal with world powers as "a step for the future for peace not only in the region, but at a global level".

In an interview with the BBC, she said that her country hoped to regain the trust of neighbouring states and cooperate to counter extremist groups.

She also stressed that Iran had the right to defend itself, but that it had no intention of dominating the region.

Iran's most powerful woman politican also revealed in her interview with the British broadcaster that Tehran has been reaching out to Saudi Arabia through diplomatic channels in order to start a dialogue.

"Our foreign minister is travelling in the region, because maintaining ties, actually restoring trust with our neighbours is an issue for us."   

"We hope to be able to restore that trust working with different regional states to be able to stand firm against extremism, against terrorism, against Da'esh which is a terrible phenomenon," she added, using the acronym of the group's former name in Arabic.

'No to Western influnce'

Aaddressing the assembled members of an Iranian non-governmental organisation recently, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that despite the ground-breaking nuclear deal with Western powers, Tehran would not permit western political, economic or cultural influence in Iran. 

He also added that the fate of this deal was still unclear, as it had not yet been officially ratified by Iran or the US.

"Their intention, in their imagination, was to find a way to infiltrate our country through this agreement," said Khamenei, adding that Iran would "confront this infiltration with full power, which is thankfully high today."

The nuclear deal signed last month between six world powers and Iran aims to restrict Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for easing severe international sanctions.

The US Congress is set to begin debating the deal when it returns to Washington next month from its summer recess. Once the White House gets the deal and submits it to Congress, lawmakers will have 60 days to review its contents, annexes and any secret appendices.

"We encourage the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to endorse this agreement," - US rabbis letter

On Monday, over 300 US rabbis sent a letter to Congress declaring their support for the Iran nuclear deal and urging lawmakers to endorse it.

"We encourage the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to endorse this agreement," read the letter.

"This deal is good for the United States and our allies in the region, and is the best arrangement possible given current international realities."

"If Congress ultimately rejects the deal, the consequences for the United States, Israel, the Jewish community and the world will be significant."

Meanwhile, in a press conference held on Tuesday, Iranian Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan announced that Iran would sign a deal with Russia to receive the S-300 air-defense missile system by next week.

Dehghan said that Iran would not manufacture ballistic missiles with a range of more than 2,000 kilometres, as this does not contradict the nuclear deal or international laws.

"The text of the contract is ready and our friends will go to Russia next week to sign the contract," said Dehghan, according to the Fars news agency.