DHAKA: France’s foreign minister said Monday the European Union would likely lift some sanctions on Iran in December, as part of a hard-won deal that curbs Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Laurent Fabius also said Israel, which blasted Sunday’s agreement as a ‘historic mistake’, was not likely to launch any preventative strikes on arch-foe Iran, ‘because no one would understand’ such a move ‘at this stage’.

World powers sealed the agreement with Iran after four days of intense negotiations in Geneva, promising to ease some crippling US and EU sanctions on the Islamic state in return for limits on an enrichment programme the West suspects was aimed at developing an atomic bomb.

Speaking on Europe 1 radio, Fabius said that EU foreign ministers would gather together in ‘a few weeks’ to put forward a proposal to partially lift some sanctions, which the 28-member body will have to approve, reports daily Hurriyet.

‘This lifting of sanctions is limited, targeted and reversible,’ he said, adding that it would take place ‘in December’.

The deal, which lasts for six months only while a more long-lasting solution is negotiated, also gives UN atomic inspectors more access to key nuclear facilities in Iran.

BDST: 1541 HRS, NOV 25, 2013