"If they expect irreversible measures from Iran, they should do irreversible measures too, and sanctions should be removed all together," Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi told Kyodo News in Vienna on Monday.
"They prefer to suspend the sanctions first then lifting; but this is the concept we don't accept," he added.
The diplomat emphasized that Iran desires full removal of all sanctions “at once” but the fact is that the sides need a timetable to determine the measures they should carry out.
“So how to match these measures in a timeline itself is a difficult job," he added.
Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China -- plus Germany reached an interim deal in Geneva in November 2013. Under the six-month deal, which took effect on January 20, sanctions against Iran were partially suspended while Iran scaled back its nuclear energy program.
Iran and its negotiating partners are currently in talks to iron out differences and achieve a permanent comprehensive deal aimed at ending the decade-old dispute over the country’s civilian nuclear work.
On July 3, negotiators from Iran and the six states officially opened their sixth round of talks this year in the Austrian capital city of Vienna to discuss drafting a final nuclear accord as a July 20 deadline draws near.
SHI/SHI