The United States and the European Union both took formal legal steps on Sunday that will lift sanctions once Iran meets the conditions tied to a landmark nuclear agreement with major world powers.
The legal acts have no immediate effect but cement a process that began with a deal reached in July to end sanctions against Iran in exchange for curbs on a program that the West suspected was aimed at developing a nuclear bomb.
For the waivers to come into force, Iran, which has always denied seeking nuclear weapons, must now demonstrate to the International Atomic Energy Agency that it has restricted its nuclear program as promised, a process that Western officials say is likely to take at least two months.
A senior Western diplomat based in Europe added: "Implementation can be expected to take place at the end of the year or the beginning of next year, but of course only once the IAEA has given the green light."
