Iran tells West wants oil, banking sanctions considered up front

Iran has told Western powers that it wants them to consider easing oil and banking sanctions during the first phase of any interim nuclear deal they agree to, an Iranian delegate at talks between Tehran and six world powers said on Friday.         

"We have announced to the West that in the first phase the issue of banking and oil sanctions must be considered," Majid Takht-Ravanchi, a member of Iran's negotiating team in Geneva, was quoted as saying by Iran's Mehr news agency.

On another note, U.N. nuclear agency chief Yukiya Amano will hold talks with senior Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday with the aim of "strengthening dialogue and cooperation," the agency said on Friday.       
  
His decision to accept an Iranian invitation to visit may be a sign of progress in long-stalled efforts by the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to investigate the Islamic state's disputed atomic activities.            


REUTERS