Sanctions to be lifted ‘today’:Iranian FM

TEHRAN, Jan. 16 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif says with expected report from IAEA confirming Iran’s commitment to JCPOA, the Implementation Day has arrived. “International sanctions on Iran will be lifted on Saturday when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issues its final report on Tehran's disputed nuclear program,” Reuters has quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying. Zarif arrived in Vienna earlier on Saturday, where the IAEA is expected to release a report confirming that Iran has completed its commitments under last year's nuclear deal, triggering "Implementation Day" and the lifting of sanctions. "Today with the release of the IAEA chief's report the nuclear deal will be implemented, after which a joint statement will be made to announce the beginning of the deal," Zarif was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. The report, if issued, would mark the consummation of the July 14, 2015 nuclear agreement. Under the deal, Iran agreed to shrink its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of EU, US and UN sanctions. Zarif is due to meet his US counterpart John Kerry, the European Union's Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini, and IAEA Chief Yukiya Amano later on Saturday