Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said sanctions on Iranian oil exports started lifting today and will continue during negotiations. He warned that continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon would breach US commitments, and stated that the planned Friday round of talks with the US in Switzerland is not final and may be reconsidered. Baqaei also said Iran has accounted for past US breaches of commitments.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said on Thursday afternoon that the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil exports had begun today, warned that continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon would breach U.S. commitments, and stated that the planned Friday round of talks with the U.S. in Switzerland is not final and may be reconsidered.
At a press conference at around 14:00 Jerusalem, Baqaei said the sanctions relief process had already started and would remain in place during negotiations. He demanded unrestricted oil sales, insurance, transport, and full access to frozen overseas assets. He also said Tehran had learned from past U.S. breaches of commitments. On Lebanon, he placed responsibility on Washington to ensure Israeli compliance with understandings reached with Iran. He then raised new doubt about the Friday meeting, saying its status was being reconsidered. The remarks followed an earlier bulletin (16:01) in which Baqaei had already announced the sanctions-lifting process; the press conference expanded that to include the Lebanon-linked warning and the meeting caveat.
The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday (16:01) that Baqaei had announced the sanctions-lifting process. That followed a bulletin at 02:01 in which Baqaei first said the Friday talks were not confirmed, while also stating that oil sanctions had begun lifting. The thread has thus evolved from a single-a monitored channel report cited by N12 at 02:01 — in which Baqaei said the talks had not yet been confirmed — through a subsequent, more detailed statement at the press conference that explicitly tied sanctions relief to the Lebanon front and cast doubt on the meeting. The progression shows the same spokesman offering progressively fuller formulations across a single day.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past week (Jun 15–16), Iran and the U.S. concluded an understanding in Islamabad under which sanctions relief would begin upon signing, and nuclear talks would follow within 60 days. Iran has repeatedly insisted the U.S. must enforce Israeli compliance with the deal, and has warned that non-implementation would trigger countermeasures. Thursday's press conference reinforced that linkage. Baqaei's additional assertion that Iran had "defeated two nuclear powers" and called itself a "superpower" was not elaborated.
It remains unclear whether the Friday meeting in Switzerland will take place as originally planned. Baqaei said only that it was "not final" and that its possibility was "being reconsidered." No alternative date or venue was offered. The precise mechanism by which oil sanctions are being lifted — whether unilateral U.S. waiver or a broader arrangement — has not been detailed by either side.
4 developments
- StrongIran: Sanctions on oil exports lifted, enriched uranium will stay in Iran
- DevelopingOil exports resume as Iran confirms deal with the United States
- DevelopingIran says US committed to removing all sanctions, timeline to be set in upcoming talks
- StrongIran warns US must enforce Lebanon ceasefire obligations from MoU
Source and signal
- Internal intake