Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) holds a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) on the second straight day of talks over Tehran's nuclear program in Vienna, July 14, 2014. (photo by REUTERS/Jim Bourg)Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/11/khamenei-aide-velayati-may-join-oman-nuclear--talks-kerry.html##ixzz3IY5b64ex[/caption]
A US State Department Spokesman announced that Washington would suspend the sanctions on Iran first if a nuclear deal is reached and would lift them only after the US is confident that Iran "lived up to its commitments".
WASHINGTON, November 19 (Sputnik) Washington will suspend the sanctions onIranbeforeterminating them if anuclearagreement is reached, US State Department Spokesman Jeff Rathke said.
"If the P5+1 talks withIran come toan arrangement, we've taken the view that it would be better tosuspend rather thanterminate sanctions atfirst," Rathke stated Tuesday duringa press briefing. "And only once we are confident that Iran lived upto its commitments, would we look toterminate the sanctions."
Rathke added that due tothe concerns ofboth the current and the previous administrations aswell asof their partners inCongress, the US does not find it "logical or good policy tosimply terminate sanctions immediately."
"Suspension makes it easier tosnap sanctions back inthe place if Iran were not tohold upits end ofthe deal," he explained.
US Senators Robert Menendez and Mark Kirk said ina joint statement last week that Iran must commit tocompletely abandoning its nuclear program beforethe United States agrees toany deal that would provide sanctions relief.
The final roundof the P5+1discussionscommenced inViennaonTuesday. The negotiations are aimed atreducing the scope ofIran's nuclear program inexchange forremoving sanctions.
The P5+1 group including Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Germany, set November 24 asthe deadline forreaching a deal that would ensure Iran's nuclear program is restricted topeaceful applications.
By Sputnik News
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