Lifting Sanctions Will Be a Priority After Iran-US Signing

Iranian Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi. (Wikimedia Commons/IAEA Imagebank)

JAKARTA - The lifting of sanctions will be Iran's priority in the next negotiations after the signing of an agreement with the United States scheduled for this week.

Iran's deputy foreign minister said on Sunday that lifting all sanctions against his country would be a priority during the 60-day negotiations between Tehran and Washington, after the signing of an expected agreement on Friday.

"We have some issues to discuss. The first is the termination of all sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran," Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in an interview with the official Islamic Republic News Network, CNN reported (15/6).

The lifting of sanctions will also include "the termination of UN Security Council resolutions and IAEA Board of Governors resolutions," he added.

Iran is one of the most sanctioned countries in the world. Even before the war, sanctions, inflation, and corruption had destroyed the Iranian economy.

As previously reported, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday, "The Peace Deal between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been reached."

"Both sides have declared an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon," Prime Minister Sharif said in a social media post on Sunday night.

In turn, President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a peace deal with Iran had been reached and the United States would end its naval blockade of the country, marking the most significant development in months of negotiations.

"The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!" President Trump stated in a post on Truth Social.

President Trump said the deal would include a commitment from Iran not to acquire nuclear weapons and the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"I think they want to get it done. This has never happened to them before," Trump told The Journal when asked about skepticism that Iran would agree.

President Trump said the deal would include inspections, though he gave no details on how the inspections would be carried out.

He also suggested that sanctions relief could be considered while stressing that Iran would not accept cash.

Gharibabadi previously said that the 60-day negotiations between Tehran and Washington after the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Friday would depend on the fulfillment of three commitments by the United States, especially the release of billions of dollars of frozen Iranian funds.

The commitments include "lifting and ending the naval blockade," "ending the state of war and military operations" and "releasing frozen Iranian funds," said Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, according to a statement reported by Iran's official media.

"Entering into negotiations for 60 days depends on the implementation of US commitments," explained Gharibabadi, adding that once Iran verifies these steps - especially financial commitments - technical working group negotiations will begin immediately.

He added that several agreements had been discussed "last night," but further talks in Switzerland after the official signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding would discuss the structure of negotiations, the establishment of working groups, and other necessary agreements.