Lifting all sanctions only way to reach nuclear deal: Shamkhani

A senior Iranian official has once again reiterated that the lifting of all sanctions would be the only way to reach a final agreement with the P5+1 countries over Tehran’s nuclear program.

“The only way to achieve a nuclear agreement is based on [respecting] mutual interests and lifting all sanctions,” Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Monday.

He added that Iran still believes that sanctions imposed against the country over its nuclear program are cruel, illegal and ineffective.

“Iran has given an opportunity to the other negotiating side to end a fabricated crisis with logic and within the framework of international law,” Shamkhani pointed out.

Iran and the P5+1 countries – Britain, France, China, the United States and Russia plus Germany – are seeking to seal a comprehensive nuclear deal by July 1. The two sides have already missed two self-imposed deadlines for inking a final agreement since they signed an interim one in the Swiss city of Geneva in November 2013.

Representatives of Iran and the P5+1 group of countries wrapped up the latest round of nuclear negotiations in the city of Montreux, Switzerland, on March 6.

Iran and the United States are reportedly scheduled to resume a new round of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program in the Swiss city of Lausanne on March 15 to bridge their differences ahead of the July 1 deadline.