TEHRAN – Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday that the problems related to Iran’s economic and financial transactions with the outside world have been substantially resolved.

According to the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), all nuclear-related financial and economic sanctions against Iran must be terminated. The deal went into force in January.

Addressing a meeting of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on Saturday, Araqchi said, “The JCPOA is being implemented as planned, but it will show its effects on Iran’s economy over time.

“We are in good shape in the oil industry. Issues regarding economic transactions, finance, insurance and banking have also been solved and there is no impasse in implementation of the nuclear deal,” stated Araqchi who acted as a leading nuclear negotiator with great powers.

He also pointed out that the other countries with which the nuclear deal was clinched must keep their side of the bargain and provide the necessary conditions for implementation of the nuclear deal.

The top diplomat added that the main remaining problem is the U.S. sanctions against Iran, which were not to be lifted, however they are now obstacles to the implementation of JCPOA.

Araqchi further told members of the committee that the sanctions imposed on Iran regarding human rights and terrorism also act as obstacles in the way of implementation of the nuclear deal.

He noted that the U.S. presidential election is also affecting implementation of the nuclear deal as the candidates’ contrasting positions regarding the JCPOA have put businesses and corporations that seek to engage Iran are in a state of “purgatory”. 

The deputy foreign minister also criticized Washington for new anti-Iran sanctions, describing the act as unconstructive.

MH/PA