Kanaani addressed correspondents of Iranian media outlets in Tehran on Monday, saying that in respect of the negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran is of the opinion that verifiable guarantees are needed to make sure that the US will comply with a new agreement.
On the prisoner swap between the US and Iran, he noted that the two sides reached a written agreement through the mediation of a third party in March to put aside the negotiations for lifting anti-Iran sanctions when it comes to other issues such as prisoner swap, but the Americans tied them to the nuclear talks.
As to a joint statement by Saudi Arabia and Iran, which was mediated by China, Kanaani said that the consensus was achieved after 1.5-year diplomatic talks, in Iraq and Oman.
He added that the Chinese officials put forward the idea of holding negotiations between Saudi and Iranian representatives and the Iranian side accepted China's good faith.
As a result of the Chinese authorities' mediation and good faith from both Riyad and Tehran, the two sides accepted to restore diplomatic ties immediately after signing the agreement in Beijing and reopen embassies in Riyadh and Tehran as well as consulates in Jedda and Mashhad within two months, he said.
The foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia and Iran are paving the ground for contacts between the foreign ministers and their meeting in the future, he noted, praising China, Iraq, and Oman for their constructive roles in paving the way for the consensus between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
According to the spokesman, China will benefit from security and stability in West Asia, especially in the strategic Persian Gulf; thus, Beijing helped restore ties between the Saudis and the Iranians.
Asked about negotiations on removing anti-Iran sanctions and reviving the JCPOA, he noted that the US and Iran have been exchanging messages through third parties and that diplomats are always optimistic about the results of the negotiations, adding that there were two parties in any agreement and that the other side should prove its practical compliance to the consensus.
The Islamic Republic of Iran pursues a good neighborliness policy and expansion of relationships with Asian states, he said, noting that the positive development between Riyadh and Tehran can spread to the ties with other regional countries.
The end of the war in Yemen has been always one of the major priorities of the Islamic Republic, so Tehran expects that the Saudi-Iranian agreement can play a positive role in the issue, he said, arguing that negotiations between the Yemeni fractions would be the best way to resolve the internal crisis in the war-stricken country.
As to the fact that UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg’s visit to Tehran at the head of a delegation for consultations over the latest situation in the Arab state, Kanaani said that Iran would spare no efforts to end the military crisis in Yemen.
Touching upon Washington's intention to unfreeze 10 billion dollars of Iranian assets in South Korea, Japan, and Iraq, the spokesman said that the US administration is not entitled to interfere in bilateral and legal exchanges among other nations because Washington resorts to illegal means to disrupt economic, trade and financial cooperation between Iran and other countries; however, Baghdad and Tehran keep on economic and financial exchanges despite pressures imposed by the US.
He also pointed to a visit by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Baqeri Kani to Omani capital Muscat, noting that he had traveled to Oman with the aim of participating in the 9th round of political consultations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Sultanate of Oman and that the deputy FM had held talks with his Omani counterpart and discussed issues of mutual interests.
Kanaani further said that Iran supports the territorial integrity of Iraq, urging the Iraqi government to abide by its commitments to standing up against anti-Iran terrorist groups and disarming such separatists.
On Libya-Iran talks, he said that both governments continue good negotiations and that Iran’s non-resident ambassador has held talks with the Libyan foreign minister on reopening the embassies of both nations.
Answering a question on non-Iranian prisoners, he noted that Tehran has time and again announced that foreigners played a role in the recent unrest in the Islamic country, so they are facing judicial procedures. France and Iran continue consultations on French citizens, he said, adding that the French government adopted an unconstructive and interfering stance regarding the recent developments in Iran.
Those countries, who pursued instability in Iran, bet on a losing horse, he noted, urging the European states to rethink their wrong policies towards the Islamic Republic.
Asked about the revival of ties between Egypt and Iran, he said that Egypt is an important country and the two states attach importance to each other in the region, so the region is in need of positive capacities of both Cairo and Tehran. On the sidelines of the Baghdad II Conference, Amman, Jordan, the Egyptian and Iranian sides held talks, he said, adding that both parties should take steps to improve their relations.
As to a four-party meeting among Russia, Turkey, Syria, and Iran over developments in the war-torn Arab country, he said that Tehran would take part in the meeting. Iran believes in good neighborliness between Syria and important regional states, he noted, adding that the improvement of ties would help enhance peace, stability, and security in the region, particularly in Syria.
On a visit by former prime minister of Iraq Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to Tehran, Kanaani said that trips by Iraqi brothers to Iran are not a new story and that all former premiers, including Al-Kadhimi, continue contacts with the Iranian officials.
He further pointed to the issue of summoning the Iranian ambassador to Baku, saying that the Azerbaijan Republic raised the topic of the flight of an Iranian airplane near border areas; however, the airplane was flying in Iran’s airspace and radars did not send any warning, so the Iranian pilots did not make any mistake in this respect. He also criticized the Republic of Azerbaijan for publicizing the presence of Iran’s military attaché at its embassy in Baku, arguing that the act of putting forward differences through media outlets does not assist in resolving disagreements.
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