Iran Deal: Iran Says Sanctions Must Lift From Day 1, EU Renews Existing Sanctions

Sanctions should be "totally lifted on the first day," said Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Thursday said he will not sign up to a nuclear deal that does not see sanctions against the country lifted from day one, Associated Press reports.

Following this week's meeting between national representatives in Lausanne, Switzerland, a framework deal for the easing of sanctions against Iran in return for commitments on the nation's nuclear programme was said to have been struck with negotiations on points of detail remaining to be negotiated by June 30.

But Rouhani has since said "we will not sign any agreement, unless all economic sanctions are totally lifted on the first day of the implementation of the deal."

His comments were delivered during a ceremony to mark the country's nuclear technology day.

According to the report, it is not clear whether the comments were calculated to present a tough stance ahead of detailed negotiations or whether they are likely to constitute a real, additional barrier to eventual agreement.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is understood to have the final say on all matters of government, has also said "sanctions should be lifted completely, on the very day of deal," as well as declaring himself against unannounced inspections of facilities or any inspections of military facilities.

However, he said he will wait until the outcome of negotiations before deciding for or against a deal.

Whole Host of Differences

"There are still going to be a whole host of differences between us and Iran," said U.S. President Barack Obama in an interview for NPR News.

Separately reports have emerged that, on Wednesday, the European Union (EU) reimposed sanctions on Iran's Bank Tejarat and 32 shipping companies.

In January, the EU's General Court struck down sanctions in place against a host of Iranian companies, giving the European Council until the end of March to re-list the companies under a different legal basis.

Eight of 40 shipping companies involved in the January judgment are said to have been left off the list, with those re-listed understood to be subsidiaries of blacklisted Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL).

A deal with Iran is said to have the potential to cause a shift in global energy markets and send oil prices down to $20 per barrel.