A raft of biting global sanctions imposed on Iran for its suspect nuclear activities will be lifted over time, if the Islamic republic sticks to the terms of a final deal with global powers.

Under a framework struck Thursday, the US and EU will lift all nuclear-related sanctions after the UN atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has verified that Iran has taken key steps laid out in the final comprehensive deal.

"In return for Iran's future cooperation, we and our international partners will provide relief in phases from the sanctions that have impacted Iran's economy," said US Secretary of State John Kerry.

The United Nations will also lift past nuclear-related sanctions "simultaneous with the completion, by Iran, of nuclear-related actions addressing all key concerns," the State Department said in a fact sheet.

In its place however will be a new UN Security Council resolution that will endorse the joint comprehensive deal, now set to be negotiated by June 30 after the outlines were agreed by six world powers and Iran late Thursday.

The new UN resolution will however also re-establish existing core UN provisions dealing with the transfers of sensitive technologies and activities.

And existing restrictions on conventional arms and ballistic missiles will also be incorporated into the new resolution.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had been given the specific mission by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to win an end to the sanctions, was jubilant.

"The effect of this will be, when we implement our measures there won't be no sanctions against the Islamic republic of Iran."

"And that I think would be a major step forward. We have stopped a cycle that was not in the interest of anybody, not in the interest of non-proliferation," Zarif said.

"All Security Council resolutions will be terminated, all US nuclear secondary sanctions as well as EU sanctions will be terminated," Zarif said.

Sanctions have been key in bringing Iran to the negotiating table, the West says, as they have crippled the oil-producing nation's economy, frozen more than $100 billion in oil revenues around the world, and cut the country's access to global oil markets.

But they were also one of the hardest issues to resolve during the negotiations.

- 'Snap back into place' -

World powers were insisting that there should be no immediate lifting of the sanctions in order that they can be reinstated if Iran violates the deal.

"The European Union will terminate the implementation of all nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters.

She added the United States "will cease the application of all nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions simultaneously with the IAEA-verified implementation by Iran of its key nuclear commitments."

But Kerry stressed: "If we find at any point that Iran is not complying with this agreement, the sanctions can snap back into place."

He did not detail how this would be done, or give any specific timings, acknowledging that the rate and timing of sanctions relief was one of the gaps still remaining.

"It's really a matter of anywhere from probably six months to a year or so that it will take to begin to comply with all of the nuclear steps that need to be taken in order to then begin into the phasing. Those steps have to happen first."

The new UN resolution will also set up a means to ensure transparency and incorporate important restrictions on conventional arms and ballistic missiles, the State Department said in its fact sheet.

Top of the concerns about Iran's nuclear capability are its enrichment capability, the underground plant at Fordo, the uncompleted heavy water reactor at Arak, and the issue of possible military dimensions of its programme.

US Republicans have railed against lifting the sanctions and are even threatening to impose more with draft legislation doing the rounds in the US Congress.

Who said what as West sealed historic nuclear Iran deal
Lausanne (AFP) April 2, 2015 - Iran and global powers sealed a deal Thursday on plans to curb Tehran's chances for getting a nuclear bomb, laying the ground for a new relationship between the Islamic republic and the West.

Though the agreement was hailed as a major breakthrough in a 12-year standoff between Iran, Europe and the United States, world leaders couched their reactions, underlining a lack of trust in Tehran and scepticism in some quarters that the hard-fought deal could stay standing.

Here are some of the quotes from the main protagonists in the talks between Iran and P5+1, made up of the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany:

- Obama cheers historic deal, warns Iran -

"I am convinced that if this framework leads to a final comprehensive deal, it will make our country, our allies and our world safer," said US President Barack Obama.

While he cheered the "historic understanding" and told sceptical hardliners the diplomatic solution to the standoff was the "best option by far", he admitted there was a risk Tehran would not hold up its end of the bargain.

But "if Iran cheats, the world will know it," he said.

- Zarif hails thawed Iran-West relations -

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hailed a thawing in US-Iran relations, saying the deal brought to an end a negative "cycle that was not in the interest of anybody" and showed "true dialogue and engagement with dignity" meant "we can resolve problems, open new horizons and move forward."

- Hammond: 'More than we hoped for' -

"This is well beyond what many of us thought possible even 18 months ago", British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said, adding that while "we will continue to have our differences on many other issues with Iran," the deal will crucially "avoid a nuclear arms race in the region."

- Russia defends Iran's rights -

"This deal contains the principal put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is Iran's unconditional right to a peaceful nuclear programme," the Russian foreign ministry said.

- Kerry: world safer -

US Secretary of State John Kerry said diplomacy had paid off, insisting that "simply demanding that Iran capitulate makes a nice sound bite, but it's not a policy."

Admitting the United States "remains deeply concerned about Iran's destabilising the region", he said the test now would be "whether or not it will leave the world safer or more securer than it would be without this agreement."

- Merkel: closest deal in history -

German Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged the sweat, blood and tears that had gone into clinching the deal, saying the international community had never "been so close to an agreement preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons".

- Ban Ki-moon sees boost in Mideast cooperation -

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said it will pave the way to bolstering "peace and stability" in the Middle East and allow cooperation on the "many serious challenges (countries) face" in the region.

- France wary -

While French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius embraced the accord as "unquestionably positive" in parts, President Francois Hollande's office warned "sanctions that are lifted can be re-imposed if the deal is not applied," and called for a "verifiable" final agreement on Iran's progress.

- Israel: 'Historic mistake' -

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had been violently urging the West not to sup with Iran, even with a long spoon, did not immediately react to the announcement.

An Israeli government source, however, slammed the accord as a "historic mistake."

Israel, widely believed to have the bomb itself, has said a bad deal would endanger the country.

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