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Iran insists US should guarantee lifting unilateral sanctions — source

The night consultations on Iran’s nuclear program didn't result in a breakthrough
A street in Tehran, Iran EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
A street in Tehran, Iran
© EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

LAUSANNE, March 31./TASS/. Iran insists at talks in Lausanne on obtaining guarantees from the US that it will lift unilateral sanctions in parallel with the cancellation of UN Security Council sanctions after a comprehensive agreement on settling Iran’s nuclear problem is reached, a diplomatic source taking part in negotiations has told TASS.

According to the source, the night bilateral consultations on Iran’s nuclear program didn't result in a breakthrough, and the sanctions remain the key problem.

Up until the present moment, P5+1 format talks in Lausanne have discussed only the lifting of UN Security Council sanctions, as unilateral sanctions of the European Union and the US were imposed without consultations with the UN Security Council member countries and are to be lifted by Brussels and Washington independently.

Intensive talks of P5+1 (Russia, the US, China, France, Great Britain and Germany) with Iran continue, but the possible timeframes for reaching an agreement are not yet clear. The current round is to coordinate a document on political principles of the future comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear dossier.

"We hope to reach an agreement on Tuesday or Wednesday," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Iranian television. "However, no progress has been reached as of yet on two issues on which we have differences," the senior negotiator said, noting negotiators’ political will to complete an agreement.

"At the same time, we are not going to approve any agreement, we need the one that will suit us," he added.

Talks focus on anti-Iranian sanctions and parameters of uranium enrichment, TASS has learnt.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov left Lausanne for Moscow on Monday afternoon for scheduled meetings. A source from the Russian delegation said that under favorable conditions he could return to Lausanne on Tuesday.