Thousands of Iranians thronged the streets of Tehran to celebrate the landmark nuclear accord with world powers, a deal that received the crucial backing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the country’s ultimate authority.

Crowds flooded at least three major squares in the capital, many dancing well into the night. Celebrations clogged traffic and blocked several streets. Revelers blew into vuvuzela horns and chanted in praise of President Hassan Rouhani.

The accord reached between Iran and six world powers in Vienna will curb the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program in return for lifting sanctions that crippled its economy. While implementation may take months, the agreement is a victory for Rouhani, who was elected in 2013 on pledges to end Iran’s global isolation.

“Rouhani, Obama, congratulations!” some chanted in the streets in a rare public display of pro-U.S. sentiment. The two countries haven’t had diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution deposed the Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, who was a U.S. ally.

Giti, a 48-year-old engineer who didn’t want to give her surname because of sensitivity surrounding speaking to the foreign media, said young people are optimistic the deal will boost the economy and lead to better living and more jobs.

“I moved back from the U.S. three years ago and every business I’ve tried to set up has just hit a dead end, and I was thinking about going back,” she said. “With the news today, I’m definitely staying.”

Khamenei met with Rouhani on Tuesday evening and thanked the country’s negotiators for their “sincere” and hard work, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The backing will likely strengthen the president, a moderate cleric, in the face of his hardline opponents. The deal will also meet resistance in the U.S. Congress, where lawmakers have 60 days to review it.

David Fuller's view

There are plenty of sceptical articles citing photos of jubilant young Iranians celebrating this week’s nuclear accord involving Iran and six world powers led by the USA.  Too many interpret this as evidence of Iran’s superior negotiating skills, relative to the USA’s ‘compromised approach’ and waning interest in sanctions among its allies.  There are also too many shoot-from-the-hip critical reactions from the US House of Congress, particularly among Republicans, far from the lengthy negotiations but determined to be critical of any policy by the Obama administration which they assume must be too soft.  

Most Iranians know little about their country's covert operations but its educated young people are aspirational.  They want jobs and career opportunities in an economy which has been hurt by sanctions.  We should also want economic success for them because a less isolated and more prosperous Iranian economy will also be more open to international trade.  Fortunately, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei now wants this for Iran’s future.

Some commentators say that a wealthier Iran will be a bigger threat.  This is possible but less likely in my opinion, even though Iran is part of an unstable region.  It has the potential to be a prosperous economy and obviously not just from crude oil exports – an industry now in long-term decline.  In today’s world, international trade rather than war is a more reliable route to profitability.  Who will oversee this development for Iran?  President Hassan Rouhani for at least a few more years and he is the political equivalent of Mikhail Gorbachev, but with fewer rivals.