President Barack Obama said on Thursday the international community could slightly ease sanctions against Iran in the early stages of negotiating a deal on Tehran's nuclear program, Reuters reported.
"There is the possibility of a phased agreement in which the first phase would be us, you know, halting any advances on their nuclear program ... and putting in place a way where we can provide them some very modest relief, but keeping the sanctions architecture in place," he said in an interview with NBC News.
Sanctions could be tightened if Iran failed to follow through on commitments, he said.