“Terrorism is an inclusive threat to all nations and governments. Those who use terrorism for their vicious goals should know that they are also responsible for the terrorist acts conducted by terror groups and that they should be accountable too,” the spokesman said on Monday at his weekly press briefing in Tehran.
Referring to the last week's terrorist attack in Iran’s southeastern city of Kerman, where dozens of Iranian and Afghan nationals were killed in twin suicide blasts, Kanaani said that Iran has unfortunately been and remains a victim of terrorism.
The Islamic Republic has always stressed the danger of terrorism, he said, adding that the country has used bilateral and multilateral diplomatic negotiations as well as international mechanisms in order to uproot terrorism.
** Iran-France FMs phone call
Kanaani said that the French government condemned the recent terrorist attack in Kerman.
The two sides also discussed the critical situation in Gaza and the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stressed ending the Zionist regime's aggression, he added.
Stressing Iran's clear position regarding Gaza, he said that a contradictory action is seen behind the slogans of some Western countries and they should stop providing arms and support to the Israeli regime.
He also expressed hope that the United Nations Security Council will fulfill its duties.
Iran has made its full diplomatic effort since the beginning of the crisis three months ago and has used all its power and potential at different levels.
We are also using bilateral and multilateral negotiations and other international mechanisms to achieve this goal, Kanaani noted.
When some actors unilaterally called for an unfair solution in favor of the occupying regime, Iran officially submitted an initiative based on democracy to the United Nations, he added.
We believe that this initiative can be a solution to end this decades-long crisis in the occupied territories, he stressed.
‘Technical reasons behind delay in Umrah Hajj flights’
On the delay in Umrah Hajj flights to Saudi Arabia, Kanaani said the relevant authorities at the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development and the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization have already provided extensive details about the issue, which he said was technical rather than political.
“Saudi Arabia considers itself fully committed in this regard, and the related institutions of our country are also making efforts to resolve this issue. We expressed hope that this technical obstacle will also be removed,” he said.
‘All countries favor end to Gaza war’
Referring to the Zionist regime’s war against Gaza, Kanaani said an immediate end to the war is what all world countries fully endorse, pointing out that the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly in this regard as well as widespread protests around the globe attest to this fact.
But unfortunately, he went on, the US does not allow the war to end and exerts its influence and uses its veto right at the UN Security Council to prevent the council from carrying out its duties.
“Occupation is the root cause of the Palestine issue and this problem must be resolved. This cannot be achieved based on unilateral plans that only benefit the Zionist regime, and any dialogue in this regard should be held within the framework of Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue.”
The Foreign Ministry spokesman also maintained that regional issues must be resolved by regional governments and nations, adding that the US, which is to blame for most of the problems, must stop its interventionist policies in the region.
US illegal presence cause of regional insecurity
Kanaani also spoke about the situation in Iraq where resistance groups have been conducting attacks on US bases to show their protest at Washington’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza.
“The root cause of the insecurity in the region is the illegal presence of American forces, their interference in (the affairs of) regional countries, and of course, their support for the Zionist regime,” he said, adding that Iran has its own special approach towards developments in the region.
As far as attacks against US forces in Iraq are concerned, it should be noted that American troops should leave that country based on an approval by the Iraqi parliament, and Iraqi forces will also fulfill their duties in this regard, the Iranian diplomat said.
He added that Iran has already informed Iraq that the presence of American forces, within an international coalition or under any other reason, will not help promote security and stability in Iraq and the region. Their presence is a cause of instability instead, Kanaani noted.
The United States uses its presence in regional countries against the very same countries, he further said, expressing assurance that Iraqi security and military forces are capable enough to boost security and promote stability across their country without getting help from outside forces.
The spokesman also touched upon the security situation in the Red Sea in the wake of Yemeni attacks on Israeli-linked ships in response to the regime’s war on Gaza.
He blamed the Red Sea situation on the Israeli occupation as well as the support the regime has received from the US and some other countries since the Gaza war began three months ago.
“This cruel war has caused consequences which will arise if the war goes on. The situation in the region and the Red Sea is due to the crisis in Palestine. If they want tranquility to be restored in the region, they should stop the Zionist regime’s crimes.”
The Zionist regime is seeking to expand the war, and basically sees the nature of its establishment in regional insecurity and instability, the spokesman noted.
** Ukrainian plane crash
Once again, we sympathize with the families of the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash and we try to relieve the victims' families' pain, Kanaani said.
We use all our capacity, but at the same time, we do not accept the instrumental use of some countries from this incident to exert political pressure on Iran, he added.
** Caucasus region
Iran has clear positions regarding the situation in the South Caucasus region and transit corridors, he noted.
We are making a lot of efforts to establish peace, stability, and security in the regional countries.
We emphasize that developing transit cooperation cannot be a basis for geopolitical changes and violation of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries, Kanaani said.
** Iran-Russia agreement
The agreement between Iran and Russia is related to developing interactions and is in the form of cooperation documents in various fields to ensure the interests of Iran and Russia and is not against any country, Kanaani said.
** Iran's fight against terrorism
Iran has been exposed to various terrorist groups that have targeted the security and stability of the regional countries, he said.
Iran's intelligence forces have shown that they have a high ability to safeguard the country amid a wave of regional threats and insecurities, he added.
Iran's intelligence bodies and regional and transregional countries will continue to cooperate well to create peace and security, he stressed.
Supporting Palestine
With regard to holding a meeting by the parliaments of Islamic countries on the issue of Palestine, Kanaani said any such capacity can be effective in supporting Palestine and ending the Zionist regime’s crimes.
On the failures of the occupying regime’s army in the Gaza war, he said the regime has not achieved any of its declared goals after three months of continuous atrocities against Gaza.
Israel has “suffered strategic and irreparable defeats and does not possess the power to confront even one regional resistance group,” he said, adding that the war exposed the empty military and security grandeur of the regime more than ever.
“The crimes of the last three months showed that this regime does not adhere to any of the moral, humanitarian and international principles and laws,” he stated.
‘Israel brought international disgrace on itself’
According to Kanaani, the Zionist regime has brought an international disgrace on itself and has left no excuse for the self-styled human rights advocates to take its part.
On the other hand, the Palestinian nation showed how it has stood up against a regime that is armed to the teeth for 75 years, he noted.
“In the event the United States, Western countries and the allies of the Zionist regime seek to resolve the problem and stop the crimes of the Zionist regime and prevent the spread of the war, they should show their desire in a practical way, but until now, unfortunately, we have not seen such a thing from Western countries,” Kanaani said, pointing out that there are many contradictions between their words and actions.
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