TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs says a prospective nuclear deal with the six major powers will not be in effect forever.

Abbas Araqchi said that if Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) make a deal, it will be binding within a certain time span.

Araqchi’s remarks came as a response to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who told an audience at the American Jewish Committee’s annual Global Forum on Monday that the deal will be perpetual.

“The deal will not expire and there will not be a so-called sunset,” Blinken stressed, explaining that the monitoring of nuclear access and protocols and Iran’s obligations to uphold all of the terms of the Non-Proliferation Treaty would remain in perpetuity.

“But of course Iran's obligations within international treaties such as the NPT are established and will be continued as long as Iran keeps being member to these treaties,” Araqchi stated.

He added that remarks such as Blinken’s serve domestic use and lack further value.

SP/P