Chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran says world powers have agreed to immediately lift all sanctions on Iran as part of the deal on the country’s nuclear program.

Speaking in an interview with the Chinese Central Television, CCTV, Ali Akbar Salehi also said depending on an approval from the Iranian Parliament, Iran might allow the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit non-nuclear sites under some conditions.

But he emphasized that Iran will guard its national interests and will hold to its remaining red lines.

Inspection of non-nuclear sites was one of the major sticking points throughout negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany.

Salehi also said in the interview that the agreement clinched between Iran and six world powers over Tehran’s nuclear program in Vienna on July 14 has had numerous regional and international impacts, Press TV reported.

Salehi went on to say that the agreement will bring about changes in political and international domains, and that the situation which existed before the agreement will not resurface.

On the sanctions imposed on Iran, Salehi said the bans put in place following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran had been ramped up in recent years.

He said the intention was, in the West’s words, to paralyze Iran’s economy. However, he said, even a drop in the value of the Iranian currency failed to affect the nation on the home front.

The ratcheting up of the sanctions only resulted in broader cooperation between Iran and China, Salehi noted.

-------- Sino-Iranian trade ties

Tehran and Beijing have had good economic relations over the past decade during which Sino-Iranian trade has crossed the $50 billion mark, said the AEOI chief.

Salehi also termed China as Iran’s most important trade partner.

Mentioning that China’s investment in Iran’s infrastructure hovers around $20 billion, Salehi suggested that the figure could rise following the Vienna agreement and that the lifting of sanctions on Iran could open up more opportunities for the promotion of economic cooperation with Tehran.

MD/P