WASHINGTON, November 20 (Sputnik) — Any loosening of sanctions earlier implemented against Iran, which could result from successful nuclear negotiations of the P5+1 group with Tehran, must be done with US Congress participation, Florida Congressman Ted Deutch said on Thursday.
"For there to be sanctions relief granted, relief of the sanctions imposed by the laws passed by Congress, then Congress has to play a role in making that determination," Deutch stated at a press conference.
The sanctions regime that was put in place, that helped drive Iran to the negotiating table, was put in place in the United States Congress," he said with regard to the tough economic sanctions imposed by the US Congress in 2010 and 2013. Thus, for sanctions to be scaled down, the US Congress will also "have to play a role," Deutch said.
The final round of Tehran's talks with the P5+1 group, comprising Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Germany, began in Vienna on Tuesday.
Tehran claims its nuclear development is aimed purely at civilian needs, such as meeting the country's growing energy needs. However, the West suspects Iran of developing a nuclear weapon under the guise of a peaceful program. Iran's earlier nuclear activities triggered the imposition of sanctions against Iran by the United States, the UN Security Council and the European Union.
In 2013, the international negotiators agreed to reach a long-term deal with Tehran that would guarantee a peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program by July 2014, however the deadline was later postponed to November 24.
