Biden administration lifts sanctions on former Iranian officials, businesses

The Biden administration has lifted sanctions on three former Iranian officials and two Iranian businesses involved in the country's oil industry, ahead of Iran nuclear deal talks between the United States and Iran.

The State Department said Thursday after the sanctions were lifted that there was "absolutely no connection” between removing the sanctions and negotiations between Iran and the U.S. in Vienna over the 2015 nuclear deal.

"This is a routine, technical practice consistent with sanctions hygiene, with administrative processes that the Department of the Treasury routinely reviews and undertakes as appropriate," said the spokesman, according to CNN. "There's no connection to the delistings that we announced today to the (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) or to negotiations that are ongoing in Vienna."

The delisting comes days before the sixth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. that are set to begin this weekend. President Trump pulled the U.S. out of the multi-nation deal over concerns Iran was not complying with vows to wind down its nuclear enrichment program.