Washington, Jan 16 (EFE).- U.S. President Barack Obama signed Saturday an executive order to lift economic sanctions on Iran, the White House said.

Obama signed the order after the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, confirmed that Iran has met all the commitments it made last July in Vienna to reach a historic nuclear accord and have international sanctions on that country eliminated.

In the text, the president, who had notified Congress of his decision, said that compliance with those commitments by the Islamic Republic “marks a fundamental shift in circumstances with respect to Iran’s nuclear program.”

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian authorities freed four Iranian-Americans in a prisoner swap with the U.S. government, which in turn released seven Iranians – six with dual citizenship – who had been convicted or were awaiting trial in the United States.

Among those released by Tehran were Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, who was arrested in July 2014; Saeed Abedini, a pastor detained in 2012; Amir Hekmati, a Marine veteran arrested in December 2012; and Nosratollah Khosrawi, Iranian television said.

The prisoner exchange, which Iranian television said was in line with national interests, occurred as the United States and Iran were meeting in Vienna ahead of an expected announcement that the Persian nation has fulfilled the major conditions for carrying out a nuclear deal reached last July.

Previously, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had confirmed the lifting of his country’s sanctions on Iran after the IAEA verified that the Middle Eastern country had complied with all the requirements needed to apply the nuclear accord reached last July.

Kerry said in a brief State Department note that the IAEA has verified that Iran “has fully implemented its required commitments,” adding that the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran can now go forward.

The day’s diplomatic moves did not please the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, who issued a communique stating his objections to lifting economic sanctions on Iran after Obama had signed the order putting that measure into effect.

Meanwhile, the European Union’s head of foreign policy, Federica Mogherini, confirmed that the multilateral nuclear accord with Iran will be implemented this Saturday and that nuclear sanctions against that country are being eliminated.

The lifting of sanctions will allow Iran access to some $100 billion in assets that are currently blocked around the world.

The multilateral nuclear deal reached in Vienna includes limiting several aspects of Iran’s nuclear program for periods of between 10 and 25 years in exchange for ending the punitive measures.

Iran and the international powers maintained intense diplomatic contacts Saturday in Vienna to prepare for the historic announcement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Yavad Zarif met with the head of European Union diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, who negotiated on behalf of the so-called Group 5+1 – the United States, France, China, Britain, Russia and Germany.

Zarif also met with John Kerry, who went to the Austrian capital for the announcement that the nuclear accord is to be applied. EFE