Tehran, July 13, IRNA - Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Monday said the smear campaign against the 25-year draft document for comprehensive cooperation between Tehran and Beijing has foreign roots.

We all can see what the counterrevolutionary groups are doing to attack and criticize the draft document, Mousavi told reporters at his weekly press briefing.

Mousavi said that Iran has expressed readiness to sign the draft documents of agreement on cooperation with friendly states.

In related developments, Head of Iran's Presidential Office Mahmoud Vaezi said on Saturday (July 11) that the enemies misportray the issue of Iran-China 25-year plan for comprehensive cooperation to put pressure on the country.

Elaborating on the cooperation plan, the spokesman said Iran in West Asia and China in East are two important countries with traditional cooperation in various areas.

After the travel of Chinese president to Iran, the two were determined to draw a roadmap for strategic cooperation, Mousavi said, adding that the latest draft for the 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan was brought by the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to China.

Iran has prepared a draft document, it should be sent to the other side to be finalized, then an agreement will be signed according to the drafts, the spokesman noted.

He added that such a cooperation plan is unacceptable for some countries because they think that it will make the sanctions and pressures ineffective. "And what they think is true."

The diplomat further said Iran is ready to have such agreement on cooperation with other friendly countries as well.

Tehran is willing to develop long-lasting relations with friendly nations, he stated.

Referring to foreigners' criticism over Iran-China 25-year draft document for comprehensive cooperation, the official said the Iranian nation is vigilant and not affected by such a smear campaign.

Elsewhere, the senior Iranian diplomat talked about the July 2015 landmark nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers- the US, the UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany, and said the deal was following its normal procedure till the current US President Donald Trump took office, withdrew unilaterally from the international agreement in May 2018 and imposed [the highest level of] sanctions against Iran.

Mousavi blasted the US for its withdrawal and said the parties to the nuclear deal had reached such a landmark agreement after 13 years of intensive talks.

On the first anniversary of the US exit from the deal, Iran started reducing its commitments from the 2015 deal, aka Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), step-by-step, and based on Articles 26 and 36.

Asked about the fifth step of reducing Iran's commitments, the diplomat said Iran's nuclear program is now moving towards technical needs of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) with no limitations on operation; meanwhile, the country continues cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) according to agency's safeguards and implementation of additional protocol voluntarily.

As he added, the Trump administration is after the annihilation of the JCPOA.

At the June 30 session, all permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, except the US, gave unconditional support for the July 2015 nuclear deal.

The spokesman said that in order to counter the US' anti-Iran measures, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has given due orders and the foreign minister has sent letters to the UN chief and the European Union and elaborated on Iran's stance on the US moves.

Mousavi went on to say that the world well knows the US regime, adding that such a regime that is merely after its domination throughout the world cannot take control over the international bodies through its illegitimate stance.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman stressed that the era of relying on the law is not over yet.

Mousavi, meantime, pointed to turning to the recent incident in Natanz site in central Iran and said security examinations have been carried out on the issue and precise judgment cannot be made till the final revision is conducted.

Referring to the latest remarks of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei about Iran's situation, the spokesman said the Supreme Leader has the final say on all issues.

The diplomat further stressed the importance of breezing through the current critical situation via cooperation among all national branches of power.

Touching upon the security agreement between Iran and Syria, Mousavi said military cooperation between the two countries is not a new issue as Iran has had all-out relations with Syria since many years ago.

As he stressed, Iran is present in Syria under the invitation of the Syrian government and will stay there until the annihilation of the terrorist groups.

At the end of his remarks, the spokesman talked of the upcoming US presidential election and said Iran does not care about who or what type of party takes office in the United States.

Trump seeking Iran's losing JCPOA's advantages

Mousavi said that due to the presidential elections in December 2020, Donald Trump's regime is trying to achieve a victory in his foreign policy towards Iran, so it favors destroying JCPOA and tries his best to prevent Iran from benefiting from the JCPOA.

He added that according to the Resolution 2231 of the Security Council in October 2020, the arms embargo on Iran will be removed; the Trump regime has sought to disrupt the Resolution 2231.

Mousavi noted that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has recently given warnings to the remaining countries in the JCPOA and international community, adding that Iran's reaction will be so decisive if it does not benefit from JCPOA.

In correspondence with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the European Coordinator of the UN Security Council, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has officially announced the positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

1483**1416

Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish