Iran�s joining the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will not affect the outcome of the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries, US Department of State spokesperson Jeff Rathke said during a press briefing on Friday.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik)�� China is part of�the P5+1 group together with�the United States, France, Russia and the United Kingdom plus Germany, which is expected to�reach a final comprehensive nuclear agreement with�Iran by�June 30, 2015.�We do not expect that Iranian membership in�the AIIB would have any effect on�the international sanctions regime that�s in�place on�Iran,� Rathke said.

On Tuesday, Iran�s Fars News Agency reported that Tehran had been accepted into�the AIIB, which has granted membership to�at least 34 other countries.

Rathke reiterated that Iran�s affiliation with�the AIIB would not pose a risk to�destabilizing the final stretch of�the talks.

�We don�t see such a risk, the P5+1 have remained united in�our goal of�preventing Iran from�acquiring a nuclear weapon, and we expect that to�remain the case regardless of�other outside�events,� Rathke said.

Nearly 40 countries are prospective AIIB founding members, including the United Kingdom and France.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a multilateral development bank that aims to�finance the development of�infrastructure and other economic sectors in�Asia, including energy and power, transportation and telecommunications, environmental protection, agriculture and water supply and sanitation, according to�AIIB�s website.


By Sputnik News