White House says sanctions on Iran not lifted yet

The White House said Friday it’s not yet granting Iran sanctions relief for dismantling its nuclear program, but left little doubt the sanctions will be lifted soon.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Iran “has made important progress” in dismantling “significant portions” of its nuclear infrastructure. But he said the administration is awaiting verification from the International Atomic Energy Association before easing sanctions on Tehran.

“We’re not going to take [Iran’s] word for it,” Mr. Earnest said.

But the president’s spokesman also declared that the deal has “blocked every pathway” for Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

“It certainly makes the world safer,” he said.

Under the deal reached with Iran and other world powers last summer, Iran must eliminate 90 percent of its uranium stockpile, put 13,000 centrifuges into storage and submit to ongoing inspections by the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency.