The head of the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP) says the West is under pressure of business leaders to lift the sanctions on Iran.
Dr. Heinz Gartner, a university professor in Vienna and an advisor to the Austrian defense minister, is well-known for publishing numerous articles on nuclear and security issues.
Speaking with IRNA on Sunday, the OIIP director said, "The western politicians have been under growing pressure by businesses to lift the sanctions against Iran."
On the likelihood of the termination of the sanctions, he said, "If the talks between Iran and the P5+1 (five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) yield a good result, the US and European politicians will be increasingly under pressure to remove a large part of the sanctions," adding, "Due to the opposition of the US Congress, lifting all sanctions would be very unlikely."
A great number of western companies are waiting to see the sanctions lifted to seize the opportunity to establish economic cooperation with Iran, he stated.
In response to a question on the possible effects of a nuclear agreement on Iran’s economy, he said, “The economic situation in Iran is improving and the country has the potential to turn into a new emerging economic power in the region and the world.”
“If the economic capacities in Iran are activated, it can become a member of the BRICS economic group,” he declared.
BRICS refers to an association of five major emerging national economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, which are all developing or newly industrialized countries. They are distinguished by their large, fast-growing economies and their significant influence on regional and global affairs.
On the chances of the conclusion of a nuclear deal between Iran and the major powers by the new target date of June 30, he said, “Striking a nuclear agreement is highly affected by the internal affairs of P5+1 member states, particularly the US.”
“Unfortunately, the US Congress is trying to adopt new sanctions measures against Iran in an effort to place obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement. They pretend the technical issues have not been addressed yet, but it is absolutely possible to reach an agreement by the deadline if all the negotiating partners show political resolve,” he stated.
