Iran's top nuclear negotiator says he expects a nuclear deal reached with six world powers to be implemented by the end of the year.
Abbas Araqchi was speaking on October 19 in Vienna after talks with senior officials from the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany. Those countries negotiated the deal with Tehran in July.
Under the agreement, sanctions on Iran are to be lifted once Tehran curbs its nuclear program, which the West suspects has been aimed at developing a nuclear bomb. Iran denies this charge.
On October 18, the United States and European Union took formal legal steps towards lifting sanctions once Iran meets certain conditions, such as reducing the number of centrifuges used to enrich uranium, and its enriched uranium stockpile.
Araqchi said Iran would start decommissioning centrifuges as soon as the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization issues an order to do so.
"That would be done after some preparations that we still need to do in the coming days. So it would soon start," Araqchi said.