Iran committed to diplomacy, multilateral nuclear talks: Spox

Kanaani said in his weekly news conference in the capital Tehran on Monday that Iran’s interactive approach in the last week has been tangible and it could create an atmosphere to pave the ground for resolving the outstanding issues as well as the expansion of interactions.

The recent visits and talks between the officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran can pave the way for improving the situation of negotiations and conveying messages, he said, noting that Iran is committed to diplomacy and sees it as the best and the most practical framework.

Iran has announced that the country is committed to returning to the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), so IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s visit to Tehran is a part of the Iranians’ active diplomacy, which will lead to good mutual understandings.

Resolving technical issues would disarm those who try to hinder returning to the diplomatic path; however, we should wait and see if the other party would pursue the same path or not, he noted.

The spokesman went on to say that Iran has utilized all political and legal rights to maintain its rights, while it has time and again emphasized its rights in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) when it comes to its cooperation with the IAEA.

Asked about a visit by the Iranian deputy foreign minister to the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Kanaani mentioned that Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Affairs Mehdi Safari has traveled to the Azerbaijan Republic to take part in the Non-Aligned Movement Summit, and fortunately, the trip paved the way for holding talks with Azerbaijani officials, including foreign minister and vice president.

Pointing to an embassy attack in Tehran, he noted that a man had raided the Azerbaijan Embassy due to his personal motives, the Iranian judicial officials pursued the issue, and Iran expressed readiness to cooperate with an Azerbaijani delegation in this regard.

On the US-Iran talks, he noted that there have not been any official and overt talks, but the two sides send messages through third parties and that the American official confirmed the contacts continue.

Regarding an agreement between Belgium and Iran on prisoners swap, he said that the agreement was prepared earlier, but it was not followed up because of political matters in Belgium, adding that the agreement is not related to a certain person, but it can be effective when it comes to Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi who has been arrested in Belgium unlawfully.

So, the Iranian citizen should be released unconditionally and the issue has been announced to Austria and Germany as well, he added.

Touching on Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian’s trip to Iraq and the negotiations with Saudi Arabia, Kanaani noted that the visit encompassed mutual and various issues.

Answering a question on Egypt-Iran ties, he said that Tehran views as Egypt a regional state and that the Iranian authorities want to expand relationships with friendly nations, so Cairo is not an exception in this respect.

Asked about the US officials’ attempt to deny the exchange of messages between Washington and Tehran through third parties, he noted that the American authorities underlined that they have their own channels to exchange messages and that High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell plays the role of a mediator, so the US officials should be asked about their paradoxical attitude.

Regarding CNN’s interview with FM Amirabdollahian on the Iranian drones in Russia, he said that the Moscow-Tehran military cooperation occurs in line with legitimate and accepted ties among nations, so nobody can charge Iran, adding that the Iranian foreign minister noted that the drones were delivered to Russia several months before the onset of Ukraine-Russia conflict.

On Taliban forces’ unconventional behavior on the Afghanistan-Iran borderline, he said that the Iranian authorities pursued the bitter accident as soon as possible and that the special circumstances of the neighboring country cause some problems, which need to be dealt with seriously and on time.

Kanaani also noted that Iran follows up on the issue of the prisoner swap, expressing hope that the connections and mediations would lead to a promising conclusion.

Kanaani ruled out the potential closure of the British Embassy in Tehran, saying that the rumor about the embassy is not true.

Those, who aided and abetted al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, try to relate them to the Islamic Republic, which is an unfounded allegation, he noted.

Iraq and Iraq formed a high-ranking security committee in recent months, he said, adding that the two sides continue negotiations and that Tehran supports the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.

Baghdad and Tehran enjoy very close and amicable ties, so Iranian borders are expected must not to be threatened from inside the neighboring state, he said. Iran underlines the need for disarming terrorists and separatists, he added.

On Iran’s contribution to the reconstruction in Syria, Kanaani said that he does not have any exact statistics on the cooperation, but the two nations have a close relationship, and some Iranian companies are participating in economic projects in the Arab country.

Asked about the Zionist regime’s embassy near the Turkmenistan-Iran border area, he noted that the ties between the regime and Turkmenistan are not serious and they have not yet created an official relationship, but Ashgabat and Tehran enjoy very good and friendly ties, and the Turkmenistan government is aware of problems between the Zionist regime and Iran.

As to the massive protests in the occupied territories of Palestine, he said that there are several tensions, including political and economic problems in the occupied lands, and that the Palestinian resistance exists not only in the Gaza Strip but also in the West Bank. The Palestinians are well aware that the only way to achieve freedom and get rid of the occupying forces is the resistance, Kanaani added.

Tehran, IRNA