Iran rejects ‘step-by-step’ lifting of US sanctions

NewsDesk Published April 5, 2021

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From left to right, spokesman for Iran's atomic agency Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, attend a press briefing in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, July 7, 2019. The deputy foreign minister says that his nation considers the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to be a "valid document" and seeks its continuation. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Iran wants the United States to lift all sanctions and rejects any “step-by-step” easing of restrictions, the Iranian foreign ministry said on Saturday ahead of planned talks in Vienna next week on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and global powers.

The comments came as France urged Iran to show a constructive stance in the indirect talks with Washington in the Austrian capital, which will be part of broader negotiations.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that Tehran opposed any gradual easing of sanctions. “No step-by-step plan is being considered,” he told state broadcaster Press TV.