Iran says it has reached a basic agreement with France to re-establish mutual banking ties as soon as the sanctions against Tehran are removed. � �

Iran�s Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade�Valiollah Afkhami-Rad has�been quoted by the domestic media as saying that sanctions are the only obstacle on the way of the implementation of the agreement with France.

Afkhami-Rad emphasized that similar deals have also been reached with other countries. Nevertheless, he said they cannot take effect unless the much-awaited Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) becomes effective.

Most of the countries with which Iran has been negotiating over the re-establishment of banking relations are the European ones, the official added.

The JCPOA was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries � the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany � after marathon talks in July.

Based on this agreement, Iran would limit certain aspects of its nuclear energy activities in return for the removal of certain economic sanctions against the country.

Some key sanctions have targeted Iran�s banking industry and have led to severe restrictions on the country�s financial transactions with the world.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) � that checks the compliance of Iran�s measures in limiting its nuclear energy activities with what it agreed with P5+1 in JCPOA � has already announced that Iran has lived up to its commitments.

Tehran has accordingly used this and said the ball is now in the court of the P5+1 to implement its own share of pledges in the deal and move toward the removal of the sanctions.

No exact date has yet been set for this but some member countries of the P5+1 have already said the lifting of the sanctions could occur in early 2016.

By Press TV