Venezuela's government and its political opposition on Tuesday agreed to electoral guarantees for 2024 presidential elections, paving the way for possible U.S. sanctions relief, though the deal did not lift bans on opposition candidates barred from public office.

The elections will take place in the second half of next year, and international observers - including from the European Union and United Nations - will oversee the vote, according to terms unveiled following a resumption of long-suspended talks.

Multiple sources had said ahead of Tuesday's announcement that the U.S. was prepared to ease some oil-related sanctions on OPEC member-nation&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;if Washington was satisfied President Nicolas Maduro had given enough ground to the opposition.

President Joe Biden's administration had said it would lift some long-standing punitive measures in exchange for democratic concessions from Maduro.

But as the White House studied the details of the agreement finalized in Barbados, it was unclear how soon the U.S. might act or how far it could go with sanctions relief.

"We welcome the&nbsp;Venezuelan-led political agreement reached today in Barbados," according to a joint statement from the U.S., EU, Britain and Canada, calling it a necessary step toward the "restoration of democracy in&nbsp;Venezuela."

However, the statement also reiterated calls for release of political prisoners, independence of the electoral process, freedom of expression and respect for human rights, issues that were not covered in Tuesday's agreement.

Reuters reported last week that&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;and the U.S. had progressed at their own talks in Qatar toward a deal that could allow at least one additional foreign oil firm to take&nbsp;Venezuelan crude oil for debt repayment if Maduro resumed negotiations with the opposition.

Any significant alleviation of oil sanctions would mark a further shift by the Biden administration away from former President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against the socialist-led South American country.

But U.S. sources have said any U.S. policy changes would be reversible if Maduro failed to meet his election commitments. Oil revenues are crucial to&nbsp;Venezuela's crippled economy.

BANNED CANDIDATES

Tuesday's meeting in Barbados, brokered by Norway, was the first between the two sides in 11 months.

The talks, meant to provide a way out of&nbsp;Venezuela's long-running political and economic crisis, will continue at an unspecified date, the parties said, adding they are committed to respecting the results of the vote.

The deal says each side can choose its 2024 candidate according to its internal rules, but did not reverse bans on some opposition figures - including Oct. 22 primary frontrunner Maria Corina Machado - that prevent them from holding office.

The opposition has said the bans, handed down by the controller general, are unlawful and Washington has rejected any roadblocks to opposition candidates.

"If you have an administrative inhabilitation...from the controller general of the republic you cannot be a candidate, I want to clarify that," Jorge Rodriguez, the head of the government delegation told a press conference after the signing.

Speaking before Rodriguez, the head of the opposition delegation Gerardo Blyde had said the deal could allow banned candidates to "recover their rights."

The opposition has shied away from laying out what could happen if Machado were to win the primary but could not register for the general election.

It remains unclear whether the often-fractious opposition would accept her choosing another candidate to run in her stead.

At least two candidates who initially had been set to run in the primary have bowed out because they are banned.

Maduro, president since 2013, is expected to run for re-election but has not yet formalized his candidacy.

The U.S. imposed sanctions on&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;to punish Maduro's government following a 2018 election that Washington considered a sham. Since 2019, U.S. sanctions have banned PDVSA from exporting its oil to its chosen markets.

The other accord signed by the two sides includes an agreement to protect Houston-based oil refiner Citgo Petroleum, whose parent company's shares will be put for auction starting this month through a court-organized process to pay creditors.

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Venezuela's government and its political opposition on Tuesday agreed to electoral guarantees for 2024 presidential elections, paving the way for possible U.S. sanctions relief, though the deal did not lift bans on opposition candidates barred from public office.

Venezuela's government and its political opposition on Tuesday agreed to electoral guarantees for 2024 presidential elections, paving the way for possible U.S. sanctions relief, though the deal did not lift bans on opposition candidates barred from public office. The elections will take place in the second half of next year, and international observers - including from the European Union and United Nations - will oversee the vote, according to terms unveiled following a resumption of long-suspended talks. Multiple sources had said ahead of Tuesday's announcement that the U.S. was prepared to ease some oil-related sanctions on OPEC member-nation Venezuela if Washington was satisfied President Nicolas Maduro had given enough ground to the opposition. President Joe Biden's administration had said it would lift some long-standing punitive measures in exchange for democratic concessions from Maduro. But as the White House studied the details of the agreement finalized in Barbados, it was unclear how soon the U.S. might act or how far it could go with sanctions relief. "We welcome the Venezuelan-led political agreement reached today in Barbados," according to a joint statement from the U.S., EU, Britain and Canada, calling it a necessary step toward the "restoration of democracy in Venezuela." However, the statement also reiterated calls for release of political prisoners, independence of the electoral process, freedom of expression and respect for human rights, issues that were not covered in Tuesday's agreement. Reuters reported last week that Venezuela and the U.S. had progressed at their own talks in Qatar toward a deal that could allow at least one additional foreign oil firm to take Venezuelan crude oil for debt repayment if Maduro resumed negotiations with the opposition. Any significant alleviation of oil sanctions would mark a further shift by the Biden administration away from former President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against the socialist-led South American country. But U.S. sources have said any U.S. policy changes would be reversible if Maduro failed to meet his election commitments. Oil revenues are crucial to Venezuela's crippled economy. BANNED CANDIDATES Tuesday's meeting in Barbados, brokered by Norway, was the first between the two sides in 11 months. The talks, meant to provide a way out of Venezuela's long-running political and economic crisis, will continue at an unspecified date, the parties said, adding they are committed to respecting the results of the vote. The deal says each side can choose its 2024 candidate according to its internal rules, but did not reverse bans on some opposition figures - including Oct. 22 primary frontrunner Maria Corina Machado - that prevent them from holding office. The opposition has said the bans, handed down by the controller general, are unlawful and Washington has rejected any roadblocks to opposition candidates. "If you have an administrative inhabilitation...from the controller general of the republic you cannot be a candidate, I want to clarify that," Jorge Rodriguez, the head of the government delegation told a press conference after the signing. Speaking before Rodriguez, the head of the opposition delegation Gerardo Blyde had said the deal could allow banned candidates to "recover their rights." The opposition has shied away from laying out what could happen if Machado were to win the primary but could not register for the general election. It remains unclear whether the often-fractious opposition would accept her choosing another candidate to run in her stead. At least two candidates who initially had been set to run in the primary have bowed out because they are banned. Maduro, president since 2013, is expected to run for re-election but has not yet formalized his candidacy. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela to punish Maduro's government following a 2018 election that Washington considered a sham. Since 2019, U.S. sanctions have banned PDVSA from exporting its oil to its chosen markets. The other accord signed by the two sides includes an agreement to protect Houston-based oil refiner Citgo Petroleum, whose parent company's shares will be put for auction starting this month through a court-organized process to pay creditors. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Venezuela government, opposition sign election deal; US weighs sanctions relief

The European signatories of Iran's nuclear deal with major powers should convince US President Donald Trump not to exit the accord as there is no "plan B" for the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday (April 23).

"It is either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more important to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account.

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President Macron is correct in saying there's no "Plan B" on JCPOA. It's either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage President Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more importantly to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith.
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Under Iran's settlement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Teheran agreed to curb its nuclear programme to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs.

In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were lifted in January 2016.

Trump has given the European signatories a May 12 deadline to "fix the terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal, or he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief on Iran.

US&nbsp;allies and rivals spoke out in support of the Iran nuclear deal on Monday, bolstering French President Emmanuel Macron's pitch to US&nbsp;President Donald Trump that there was no "Plan B" for keeping a lid on Tehran's atomic ambitions.

A nuclear non-proliferation conference in Geneva heard repeated calls for parties to the deal -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany -- to ensure its implementation and preservation.

"The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action continues to be the best way to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme and to realise the promised tangible economic benefits for the Iranian people," UN&nbsp;High representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said.

But US&nbsp;non-proliferation envoy Robert Ford said Iran presented a very real long-term challenge to the non-proliferation regime.

"Iran (is) a country that for years illegally and secretly sought to develop nuclear weapons, suspended its weaponization work only when confronted by the potentially direst of consequences without ever coming clean about its illicit endeavours," he said.

"For several more years (it) continued its efforts to enrich uranium in violation of legally-binding UN&nbsp;Security Council requirements, and retains the ability to position itself, several years hence, dangerously close to rapid weaponization."

On a visit to Beijing, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had agreed with his Chinese counterpart to block any US&nbsp;attempt to sabotage the deal.

"We are against revising these agreements, we consider it very counter productive to try to reduce to zero years of international work carried out via talks between the six major powers and Iran," Lavrov said after talks with the Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi.

"We will obstruct attempts to sabotage these agreements which were enshrined in a U.N. Security Council resolution," Lavrov said.

EU disarmament envoy Jacek Bylica said the deal strengthened the international non-proliferation regime, contributed to regional and international security and ensured the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme.

Cornel Seruta, a senior official at the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the deal had significantly improved access to Iran.

"In short, Iran is now subject to the most robust nuclear verification regime and Iran is implementing its nuclear related commitments under the JCPOA," he said. "It is essential that Iran continues to fully implement those commitments."

Trump has given the European signatories a May 12 deadline to "fix the terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal, or he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief on Iran

The European signatories of Iran's nuclear deal with major powers should convince US President Donald Trump not to exit the accord as there is no "plan B" for the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday (April 23). "It is either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more important to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account. President Macron is correct in saying there's no "Plan B" on JCPOA. It's either all or nothing. European leaders should encourage President Trump not just to stay in the nuclear deal, but more importantly to begin implementing his part of the bargain in good faith. — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) April 23, 2018 × Under Iran's settlement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Teheran agreed to curb its nuclear programme to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were lifted in January 2016. Trump has given the European signatories a May 12 deadline to "fix the terrible flaws" of the 2015 nuclear deal, or he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief on Iran. US allies and rivals spoke out in support of the Iran nuclear deal on Monday, bolstering French President Emmanuel Macron's pitch to US President Donald Trump that there was no "Plan B" for keeping a lid on Tehran's atomic ambitions. A nuclear non-proliferation conference in Geneva heard repeated calls for parties to the deal -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany -- to ensure its implementation and preservation. "The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action continues to be the best way to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme and to realise the promised tangible economic benefits for the Iranian people," UN High representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said. But US non-proliferation envoy Robert Ford said Iran presented a very real long-term challenge to the non-proliferation regime. "Iran (is) a country that for years illegally and secretly sought to develop nuclear weapons, suspended its weaponization work only when confronted by the potentially direst of consequences without ever coming clean about its illicit endeavours," he said. "For several more years (it) continued its efforts to enrich uranium in violation of legally-binding UN Security Council requirements, and retains the ability to position itself, several years hence, dangerously close to rapid weaponization." On a visit to Beijing, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had agreed with his Chinese counterpart to block any US attempt to sabotage the deal. "We are against revising these agreements, we consider it very counter productive to try to reduce to zero years of international work carried out via talks between the six major powers and Iran," Lavrov said after talks with the Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi. "We will obstruct attempts to sabotage these agreements which were enshrined in a U.N. Security Council resolution," Lavrov said. EU disarmament envoy Jacek Bylica said the deal strengthened the international non-proliferation regime, contributed to regional and international security and ensured the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme. Cornel Seruta, a senior official at the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the deal had significantly improved access to Iran. "In short, Iran is now subject to the most robust nuclear verification regime and Iran is implementing its nuclear related commitments under the JCPOA," he said. "It is essential that Iran continues to fully implement those commitments."

It is either all or nothing, says Iran foreign minister over nuclear deal

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Venezuela government, opposition sign election deal; US weighs sanctions relief

It is either all or nothing, says Iran foreign minister over nuclear deal