New sanctions will end Iran nuclear talks: FM spokewoman
Iran Press TV
Tue Jan 7, 2014 2:2PM GMT
Iran has warned against imposition of new sanctions, saying fresh US sanctions against the Islamic Republic will scupper the Geneva nuclear talks and the ensuing deal.
"Approval of any new sanctions will be tantamount to terminating the ongoing talks," Iran Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, said on Tuesday.
She was reacting to a sanctions bill pushed by US senators to slap new sanctions on Iran which would require further reduction in Iran's oil exports.
"The attempt by US Senate and Congress for imposing new sanctions will push the trend of talks between Iran and the P5+1 [group of world powers] toward failure," said Afkham.
Iran is in talks with six world powers – the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany – regarding its nuclear program. Last November, they reached a breakthrough interim deal for the resolution of standoff on Iran's nuclear activities.
Under the deal reached in Geneva, the six countries undertook to provide Iran with some sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to limit certain aspects of its nuclear activities during a six-month period. It was also agreed that no nuclear-related sanctions would be imposed on Iran within the same timeframe.
US President Barack Obama's administration has insisted that the sanctions bill would damage talks between Iran and world powers.
Last December, a group of ten senior Democratic senators sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid expressing their opposition to the bill.
KA/HMV/SS
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