Iranian candidate says nuclear deal failed to lift sanctions

TEHRAN, Iran – An Iranian presidential candidate says the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers has failed to lift sanctions or improve the country's economy.

Mostafa Mirsalim, a conservative, said Sunday that President Hassan Rouhani's outreach to the West had failed, adding that "sanctions remained in place and were even intensified."

Under the nuclear deal, international sanctions were lifted in exchange for Iran curbing its uranium enrichment, but separate U.S. sanctions related to Iran's ballistic missile program have since been tightened.

Mirsalim said that, if elected, he would abide by the nuclear deal. But he said U.S. President Donald Trump's administration had already undermined the agreement, without elaborating.

Rouhani is the front-runner in next month's election, in which he will face off against five candidates.