Iran Nuclear Deal: How the historic JCPOA pact was reached

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The nuclear deal is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It was struck between Iran and six world powers, namely the US, UK, Russia, France, China, and Germany, in 2015, after many years of negotiations. It was widely reported as a historic accord back then. Here's a look back at how the deal was reached.

The Iran nuclear issue began to heat up in 2002, after opposition within Iran revealed the government was building two secret nuclear sites – a uranium enrichment plant and research lab at Natanz AND a heavy water production plant in Arak. Tehran has always insisted that its nuclear work is peaceful, but it was feared that its nuclear activities could help the country build a nuclear weapon.

Multiple rounds of talks to freeze Iran's nuclear program were held afterwards, with little progress. A series of four UN sanction resolutions began in 2006, with separate US and EU punishments. The sanctions largely crippled Iran's economy.

In 2013, negotiations started to take a turn after still-incumbent President Rouhani assumed office. A deal was finally clinched in July of 2015.

Under the pact, Iran needs to remove more than two-thirds of its 20,000 centrifuges. Its uranium stockpile is set to be reduced by 98 percent to 300 kilograms for 15 years. Tehran must also keep its level of enrichment at under 3.67%.

The country's right to peaceful use of nuclear energy was acknowledged. But it must allow the global nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, to conduct more checks to prove the program is indeed peaceful.

The then-US President Barack Obama said the deal cut off every pathway to a nuclear weapon for Iran.

In exchange, major sanctions on Iran would be lifted, including restrictions on its banking system and oil exports. But the punitive measures could be reinstated if Iran was found to violate the pact.

Sanctions began to be lifted in January 2016, after the IAEA verified that Iran met its commitments. Over the past year, Iran claimed it completely obeyed the deal. The claim was endorsed by the IAEA and the wider international community.