After almost two years of negotiations, Iran and the P5+1 are closer than ever to reaching a comprehensive agreement that will end the financial sanctions in exchange for Iran suspending its nuclear activities. However, assuming a comprehensive deal is made, what if there is a dispute between the sides? Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi has said, "We will certainly have a dispute settlement mechanism according to which if any violation would occur, if any misunderstanding emerges, we will go to that mechanism and try to resolve that before we come to a situation to terminate the agreement."
Since the interim agreement of November 2013 between Iran and the five permanent members of the P5+1, the International Atomic Energy Agency has been the technical authority, but there are no formal mechanisms for resolving political or legal disputes. In other words, because of the short-term nature of this agreement, which had used the mechanism of suspension of new sanctions in exchange for suspension of some of Iran's nuclear activities, there was no need to set a mechanism for resolving disputes. The facts that the P5+1, and particularly the United States, have announced that Iran has acted responsibly regarding the content of this agreement and that Iran has made no complaints against the P5+1 show that the interim agreement was a success.
