TEHRAN, Nov. 28 (Shana) � Deputy Petroleum Minister for International Affairs and Trade Amir-Hossein Zamani-Nia said on Saturday that economic, financial, and banking sanctions against Iran will be lifted by late December this year or first week of January next year.

�The barrier of sanctions has broken and they will be removed soon,� he told a panel of international and domestic investors participating in the Iran Petroleum Contract Conference in Tehran.

�The ground is ready for foreign firms to be present in Iran and invest here in a calm atmosphere,� the official added.

Saying that details of Iran�s new oil and gas contracts will be unveiled in the afternoon sessions, Zamani-Nia also said that the IPC conference is �outcome of the nuclear Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPCOA) which was reached last July with the P5+1 group of world powers in Vienna.

By SHANA