ANKARA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogantold his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Sunday that hesaw a window of opportunity for Iran and the United States afterrecent statements on sanctions, adding he wanted U.S. sanctionson Tehran to be lifted, the Turkish presidency said.

Tehran said on Sunday the United States must first liftsanctions on Iran if it wants to talk about salvaging the 2015nuclear deal, reiterating that it will not make the first moveto restore the pact with major powers. Washington has said it isready to talk to Iran about returning to the accord.

"President Erdogan, who stated that he wished the new U.S.administration would abandon unilateral sanctions on Iran andlift restrictions on the prosperity of Iranian people, said thestatements on the issue in recent days had led to a new windowof opportunity," the presidency said in a statement.(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Dominic Evans; Eediting byGiles Elgood)