Speaking in a meeting of Iran-Italy joint chamber of commerce in Tehran on Tuesday night, Nahavandian denounced anti-Iran sanctions imposed by the West over Tehran's peaceful nuclear program as "cruel".

"The numerous losses (caused) by the sanctions to the economies of Iran and Italy ... highlight the point that the negative effects of the embargoes are not limited to the banned country but they also affect other countries," he noted.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Nahavandian voiced optimism that the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and six world powers would yield results and the sanctions will be lifted.

Although the nuclear talks have not ended, the fact that the negotiating parties have resorted to logic and joint objectives instead of using the language of threat and exerting unilateral stances is a sufficient reason to be optimistic about the future of the talks, he said.

His comments came as Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) are negotiating to hammer out a lasting accord that would end more than a decade of impasse over Tehran's civilian nuclear program.

The long-awaited deal is also expected to put an end to the anti-Iran sanctions that have obstructed Iran's trade with the world.