I've followed this story minute by minute. Not because it's my job to stay abreast of these events, but because I love Iran. I love it for all its faults, hopes, beauty, and disappointments. But mostly I love it for its people. The lives of Iranian people with the prospect of fewer economic constraints and greater integration into the global system, is the reason I want to celebrate this nuclear deal.
So, before we get into interpretations of the text of the nuclear framework agreement [1] (which is necessary and needed); and before we consider that there is much to be done in Iran, in terms of the nuclear deal, the economy, human rights, etc. (as many politicians, analysts, and activists have already pointed out)—before all those things, just for a moment, I want to absorb the tide of joy from the people of Iran.
Here are some of my favourite snippets of the happiness that overtook the streets of Iran last night. And I promise more sober commentary once we come down from the collective high of #IranTalks!
People on Tehran's streets celebrating #IranTalks [2], hoping for increase in rial value http://t.co/SPhvZRMx8y [3]
— Sobhan Hassanvand (@Hassanvand) April 2, 2015 [4]
Group of #Iran [5]‘ians gather outside Foreign Minstry in Tehran to celbrate outcome of #IranTalks [2] http://t.co/F2iJrZ9I3o [6] pic.twitter.com/tic9SO48GB [7]
— Hadi Nili (@HadiNili) April 2, 2015 [8]
Still in the party. People are drinking to (in the honor of) all the turned off Centrifuges :)) به سلامتی سانتریفیوژهای خاموش #IranTalks [2]
— jadi (@jadi) April 2, 2015 [9]
Friend of mine in #Iran [5] pinching #Obama [10]‘s cheek out of sheer joy #IranTalks [2] pic.twitter.com/M68J6yKgQt [11]
— Holly Dagres (@hdagres) April 2, 2015 [12]
Contact in Tehran: “I'm going out to celebrate.” #IranTalks [2] #Iran [5]
— Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) April 2, 2015 [13]
Tehran celebrates #IranTalks [2]. @rebaz_hassani [14] pic.twitter.com/7lfRnPPlHO [15]
— Negar نگار (@NegarMortazavi) April 3, 2015 [16]