Britain says sanctions could lift by spring

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Monday he expected sanctions on Iran could start to be lifted as early as spring next year.

On a visit to Teheran to reopen Britain's embassy in the Iranian capital, Hammond said that he expected Iran and the United States could endorse the nuclear deal they reached last month by October.

Hammond said preparatory work should be done ahead of lifting sanctions so investment can start to flow as soon as the measures are removed.