TEHRAN – The United States’ incoming administration can return to the 2015 nuclear deal only after lifting all sanctions that were imposed on Iran during the Trump administration, Mahmoud Vaezi, the Iranian president’s chief of staff, said on Monday.

Responding to a question on whether the Iranian government has set any preconditions for a possible U.S. return to the Iran nuclear deal, Vaezi said, “What we say is that whatever has happened under Trump’s administration must go back to the pre-Trump era. We are serious about this issue.”

“Therefore, all kinds of sanctions on companies and individuals should be lifted,” he told Tasnim.

Vaezi outlined how Iran would deal with a possible return of the U.S. to the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). He pointed out that Iranian officials have made it crystal clear that in the next era, Iran’s policy would be “commitment for commitment”, “implementation for implementation,” and “announcement for announcement”.

“Accordingly, in order for us to take reciprocal steps, we must be sure of what they exactly have to do.”

He also dismissed any contact between Iran and the team of the U.S. president-elect, underlining that the country’s official positions have already been declared by the president and the foreign minister.

SM/PA