FM spokesman: Iran patiently monitoring US developments

Tehran, Nov 21, IRNA – Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Iran was patiently monitoring developments in the United States after the presidential elcetion. Making the remark during his press briefing on Monday, he also commented on the plan proposed by the UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura saying it was a temporary and stern one. He said none of these plans have bore fruits in Syrian practical political arena. Noting that many actors are operating in the Syrian political scene now, the diplomat said that the disintegration plan of Syria has many frank opponents and could not take place that easily, so it is still soon to focus on it as a serious plan. Asked to comment on the ban on the sale of passenger planes to Iran by the US Congress, he said quite a number of similar decisions have been proposed or adopted by the Congress in the past one year with none them enjoying any executive guarantees. Qasemi said it will take a long time for the plan to get Senate approval and then the US president’s endorsement, so Iran will be patient to see the result. Iran will certainly take appropriate measures then if sees the plan as opposing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or its national interests, he added. Referring to certain remarks by the advisors of the US president-elect on the need for re-negotiating the nuclear deal with Iran, he said many topics raised in different areas during the presidential campaign were not confined only to the JCPOA and focused on issues in the Arab world, the NATO and many other contradictory ones as well. So, he said, it was too soon to judge the matter. He said the important thing is that the president-elect Donald Trump gradually realizes that he has to abide by laws. He said he thought the American society was wise enough not to endanger its national and international interests because of certain remarks. Anyway, the spokesman stressed, Iran is fully ready to deal with any situation and will take necessary measures according to the situation anytime it feels the Americans are going to take new measures in this regard. He went on to explain that the JCPOA is not a bilateral agreement but a multilateral one which has been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, so it could not be easy for any of the partners of the deal to cancel it or seek to revise it. The foreign ministry spokesman underlined that he could not offer any comprehensive points yet, noting that Iran will stay patient and monitor the US developments and then make the right decisions according to the new situation created by Trump and his team. 1378/IRNA