Iran today said the lifting of US sanctions was an integral part of any nuclear deal with the United States, as talks between the two countries began in Geneva.

"Sanctions lifting is part and parcel of any deal on the nuclear issue," said foreign ministry spokesman Emsaeil Baqaei in a video broadcast by the English-language state-run Press TV.

Earlier, Fars news agency quoted Baqaei as saying that removing sanctions was an "inseparable" part of any nuclear deal.