Switzerland to lift Iran sanctions
Government says move meant to show support for implementation of nuclear agreement with Tehran
Switzerland is set to lift sanctions against Iran on Thursday, Reuters reported, against the backdrop of the nuclear deal signed with Tehran last month.
“The Federal Council [government] wishes today’s steps to be seen as a sign of its support for the implementation of the nuclear agreement and its interest in deepening bilateral relations with Iran,” the report quoted a Swiss government statement as saying.
The agreement, reached between Iran and the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany on July 14, aims to curtail Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from economic sanctions.
The US Congress is set to vote next month on a resolution to determine whether to accept or reject the agreement.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that if Congress rejects the deal, the US won’t be able to prevent allies from doing business with Tehran. But Chuck Schumer, the only Democratic senator to publicly oppose the deal so far, said separately that that even if the US backs away and other countries lift their sanctions, Iran will still feel meaningful pressure from the US penalties.