Rouhani: Iran will only sign final nuclear deal if all sanctions lifted
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said Iran will only sign a final nuclear agreement with the P5+1 world leaders if all economic sanctions imposed over its atomic programme are lifted the same day.
In a televised speech on 9 April, Rouhani said: "We will not sign any deal unless all sanctions are lifted on the same day ... We want a win-win deal for all parties involved in the nuclear talks."
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a similar statement on his Twitter account.
Last week in Lausanne, Iran along with the P5+1 world leaders devised a framework nuclear agreement restricting Iran's nuclear productivity in return for a removal of economic sanctions.
A deadline of 30 June was also set for a final nuclear agreement.
Since then, however, Iran and the United States have had disagreements over the interpretation of the some of the issues listed in the preliminary agreement, including the pace and extent of the sanctions removal.
Rouhani who was speaking from a ceremony to mark Iran's National Day of Nuclear Technology said: "Our goal in the talks (with major powers) is to preserve our nation's nuclear rights. We want an outcome that will be in everyone's benefit.
"The Iranian nation has been and will be the victor in the negotiations."
According to the Iranian interpretation of the preliminary agreement, all United Nations resolutions, including the US and EU nuclear-related sanctions will be lifted following the final nuclear agreement.
"Our main gain in the talks was the fact that US President Barack Obama acknowledged that Iranians will not surrender to bullying, sanctions and threats," said Rouhani.
The United States has said the economic sanctions will be phased out slowly under the agreement.
"It has never been our position that all of the sanctions against Iran should be removed from day one," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on 6 April.
Iran has reportedly suffered a huge loss due to a 60 per cent reduction of its oil exports due to the US and EU sanctions since early 2012.
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