Iran's Shamkhani reiterates lifting 'illegal sanctions'

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sun 1 Mar 2015 - 13:52

TEHRAN (ISNA)- Secretary of Iranian National Security Council Ali Shamkhani stressed lifting all illegal sanctions on Iran.

"In case the negotiating parties show honesty and seriousness in talks, it is possible to reach a good agreement respecting nuclear rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," Shamkhani said in a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni here in Tehran on Sunday.

He stressed easing all illegal sanctions on Iran and taking confidence-building steps in response to Iran's good will and cooperation.

Gentiloni, for his part, said, "Iran's help in settlement of regional issues, especially fighting ISIL extremism and other regional issues is considerably effective and decisive."

He also emphasized his country's serious will to strengthen bilateral economic, cultural and diplomatic relations with Iran.

Nuclear talks between representatives from Iran and the United States were held in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 22 and 23 and the two sides held three rounds of negotiations in two days in an attempt to narrow their differences ahead of a key July 1 deadline for reaching a comprehensive deal.

Both top Iranian and US diplomats said some progress was made toward a final deal.

Political directors from Iran and the P5+1 group's foreign ministries will hold a fresh round of talks about Tehran's nuclear program in Montreux, Switzerland, on March 5, EU spokeswoman, Catherine Ray, said on Friday.

A series of bilateral meetings will also be held prior to the planned high-level talks between negotiators from Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, she added.

Iran and the P5+1 countries -- Britain, France, China, Russia, and the United States plus Germany – are making attempts to narrow their differences on the outstanding issues related to Tehran's nuclear program.

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