Iran links signing nuclear deal to lifting of sanctions

President Rouhani says country will not sign final agreement unless all economic sanctions are “lifted immediately”.

Iran and six world powers reached an agreement last week aimed at keeping Tehran from being able to develop a nuclear weapon [AP]

Iran’s president says his country will not sign on to a final nuclear deal with world powers unless it is predicated on the lifting of economic sanctions imposed on Iran over the nuclear programme.

Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday at a ceremony in Tehran that “all economic sanctions must be lifted immediately” once the deal is implemented.

He spoke during a ceremony marking Iran’s Nuclear Technology Day, which celebrates the country’s nuclear achievements.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stopped short of condoning the deal, saying he was “neither for nor against” it, in a statement published on his personal website.

Iran and six world powers reached a framework agreement last week aimed at keeping Iran from being able to develop a nuclear weapon. The deal is to be finalised by the end of June.

It is meant to curb Iran’s bomb-capable technology while giving Iran quick access to bank accounts, oil markets and financial assets blocked by international sanctions.

Rouhani also called for an end to air strikes in Yemen by Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies, saying they could not succeed, and said countries in the region should work towards a political solution.

“A great nation like Yemen will not submit to bombing. Come, let us all think about ending war. Let us think about a ceasefire,” Rouhani said.

Saudi Arabia and a coalition that includes four other Gulf Arab states have carried out air strikes against the Iran-allied Houthi group for the past two weeks to try to drive them back from the southern city of Aden.

“Let us prepare to bring Yemenis to the negotiating table to make decisions about their future. … Let us accept that the future of Yemen will be in the hands of the people of Yemen, not anyone else,” Rouhani said.

Coalition countries say they are supporting Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against an attempted coup by the Houthis and accuse Iran of arming the group, a charge Iran denies.

John Kerry, US secretary of state, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s foreign minister, both accused Iran of meddling in Yemen on Wednesday.