Araqchi Reveals ‘Understanding’ to Lift Sanctions on Iranian Sectors

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, attends a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 1, 2020. (Reuters)
Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, attends a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 1, 2020. (Reuters)
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Araqchi Reveals ‘Understanding’ to Lift Sanctions on Iranian Sectors

Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, attends a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 1, 2020. (Reuters)
Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, attends a meeting of the JCPOA Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 1, 2020. (Reuters)

On the eve of the third round of Vienna talks aimed at reviving the Iran nuclear deal, which the Trump administration abandoned in 2018, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi informed deputies Sunday of an understanding regarding the removal of some sanctions imposed on Tehran.

In a report to parliament’s National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee about the negotiations that started earlier this month, Araqchi explained that the US has imposed two types of sanctions on Iran: first, thematic or so-called partial sanctions, such as on the oil, banking, insurance, shipping, petrochemicals, building and automobile sectors, and others on people and entities.

He revealed that sanctions on individuals include 1,500 cases.

“Negotiations are underway on both types; the partial sanctions and those on individuals should be lifted,” he said.

He hoped the nuclear talks will proceed until they reach tangible results, leading to the termination of the US sanctions.

“It is still too soon to judge the outcome of these talks, or say whether we are optimistic or skeptical, but we are paving the right path,” he added.

In response to a question about the views of the parties and the US regarding Iran's proposed list for lifting sanctions, Araqchi said this debate is ongoing. He hoped that disputes between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be resolved in a constructive non-political atmosphere.

“Our cooperation with the agency continues. We have disputes with the agency in different fields, but the cooperation is proceeding on its natural path,” he said.



Trump Says He Is Less Confident about Iran Nuclear Deal 

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP)
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP)
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Trump Says He Is Less Confident about Iran Nuclear Deal 

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP)
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP)

US President Donald Trump said he was less confident that Iran will agree to stop uranium enrichment in a nuclear deal with Washington, according to an interview released on Wednesday. 

"I don’t know," Trump told the "Pod Force One" podcast on Monday when asked if he thought he could get Iran to agree to shut down its nuclear program. "I don’t know. I did think so, and I’m getting more and more — less confident about it." 

Trump has been seeking a new nuclear deal to place limits on Iran's nuclear activities and has threatened Tehran with bombing if no agreement is reached. 

He told reporters at the White House on Monday that he had discussed Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and said talks with Iranians were "tough." 

In the podcast interview, Trump said Iranians seem to be using delaying tactics. 

"I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made," he said. 

Trump repeated that the US would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon, whether or not a deal is reached. 

"But it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying, it’s so much nicer to do it. But I don’t think I see the same level of enthusiasm for them to make a deal," he said. 

Iran says it has no plans to build a nuclear weapon and is only interested in power generation and other peaceful projects. 

During his first White House term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed limits on Tehran's disputed nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.