Iran announces special initiatives, US should take political decision: Spox

Tehran, May 16, IRNA – The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said here on Monday that Tehran has introduced special initiatives and proposals during the recent visit of European Union’s Iran nuclear talks coordinator Enrique Mora to Iran, and [now] Washington should take its political decision. Saeed Khatibzadeh made the remarks while speaking to reporters at his weekly press briefing in Tehran this morning. About the visit of Mora, who is also the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) coordinator to Tehran and the Zionist regime of Israel’s moves, the spokesman said whenever an initiative is developed for diplomacy, the regime takes an action against it, adding that this is not a new issue. Iranian top negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani and Mora met in the Iranian capital on Wednesday (May 11). Before his arrival in Tehran late on Tuesday, Mora had said that “work on closing the remaining gaps of this negotiation continues.” As Khatibzadeh said, Mora entered Iran with clear agenda; if the United States announces its political decision, an important step can be taken about this issue. The Islamic Republic has always been after its legitimate rights, he said stressing the need to remove maximum pressures put by former US President Donald Trump. Trump unilaterally withdrew from the July 2015 nuclear deal, aka JCPOA, in May 2018 and imposed, as he claimed, the highest level of sanctions against Iran in November the same year. Turning to the issue of Russia’s role in the Vienna talks [on removal of anti-Iran sanctions], Khatibzadeh said Moscow’s role was constructive; meanwhile, the war in Kiev may dim its mediatory role in the negotiations. About recent developments in the neighboring country of Afghanistan, the spokesman said that the ruling government in Afghanistan is responsible for providing security and not letting terrorist groups be a threat for the neighbors. Elsewhere, the spokesman talked of case of an Iranian diplomat, Assadollah Assadi, taken hostage in Belgium, and said his diplomatic immunity is violated and he is kept under poor and inadequate conditions. It is regrettable that diplomatic rights are violated by European Union countries [Germany and Belgium], noted the spokesman, adding that Iran has been following up the case as it believes that total procedure of arresting, holding court session, and issuing verdict was illegitimate. Referring to the upcoming visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to offer condolences over demise of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of UAE who died at the age of 73, Khatibzadeh wished a better future for that regional country. Talking of travel of the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights Alena Douhan, the spokesman said she is now in Iran and holding her meetings. At the end of his remarks, the spokesman referred to parliamentary election in Lebanon and said the mature Lebanese people are the ones who decide for their country, adding that other countries should respect that. Iran has never tried to interfere in Lebanon’s internal affairs, Khatibzadeh stated. “Islamic Republic of Iran, too, respects Lebanese people’ decision.” Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish