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Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi

TEHRAN. – A top Iranian negotiator said sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme must be lifted, “not suspended”, from the day Tehran begins to meet its commitment under a final deal, Press TV reported.

Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi told Press TV in Vienna yesterday Iran sanctions are “unjust and illegitimate”.

“One of the objectives of the negotiations from the beginning was to remove these unjust sanctions,” he said, stressing, “All these sanctions must be lifted, not suspended.”

In response to a question on the category of the sanctions that Iran demands be removed, Takht-e-Ravanchi said: “We expect all economic, trade and financial sanctions to be terminated from the . . . day that Iran will implement its commitments.”

Iran and the P5+1 group of countries — the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — had set June 30 as the deadline to agree on a final nuclear deal but talks in the Austrian capital missed the target date as some issues remain unresolved between the two sides.

Takht-e-Ravanchi, who also serves as Iran’s deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs, also commented on the issue of the UN Security Council sanctions.

“When we reach the implementation day, all the past resolutions of the Security Council will be terminated,” he said, adding that the two sides are discussing “the next step as far as the removal of the Security Council sanctions” is concerned.

The seasoned Iranian diplomat expressed hope that a much anticipated deal on Iran’s nuclear program could be sealed in the “next couple of days”, although he said that would depend on the other side “making the necessary decision to get the job done”.

The foreign ministers of all the P5+1 members, except Russia, as well as the EU foreign policy chief have now arrived in Vienna to join Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for last-ditch efforts to hammer out a final nuclear deal by July 7.

Latest reports emerging from Vienna showed that the negotiating sides have yet to resolve some issues for reaching a final deal, with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini saying that works remain to be done on “technical and political issues”.

“We are moving forward…we’re not there yet,” said Mogherini yesterday. — Press TV.