Speaking in his weekly press conference, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh answered questions on a wide range of topics.
US is not JCPOA member
Answering a question about the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan claims on Tehran is not ready for JCPOA talks, Khatibzadeh said, "The United States must know that it is not a member of the JCPOA and that it cannot attribute statements to other members of the deal."
The steps the US should take in order to return to the JCPOA is clear, he added, saying, "They must lift the oppressive sanctions completely and effectively. They must guarantee that no administration in the United States mocks the world and international law and does not repeat these behaviors [withdrawing from intl. deals]."
The talks will start on the announced date and Mr. Bagheri as Iran's top negotiator will attend the meeting, the spokesman said.
"Bagheri will leave for Iran several European countries this week and will travel to France, Germany and Britain," Khatibzadeh noted. Iran will explain its position about the JCPOA talks in detail in the forthcoming trips. Iran will not stop its compensatory actions until it is confident that US sanctions will be lifted in an effective and verifiable manner with the necessary and objective guarantees."
Contacts between Iran, Saud Arabia not stopped
In response to a question about the talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Khatibzadeh said, "Contacts between Iran and Saudi Arabia have not been stopped, although no new talks have been held in person after the fourth round."
"The talks have taken place in a clear and transparent manner, and if we see the seriousness of the Saudis, the next round can definitely take place," he added.
The Iranian diplomat went on to say, "The Iran-Saudi Arabia talks are bilateral and based on issues of mutual interest."
Iranian, Azeri leaders eager to expand relations
Khatibzadeh also spoke about the relations between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, saying, "For the past three decades, we have always opposed the occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan and supported the territorial integrity and sovereignty of this country."
"The leaders of the two countries are eager to expand relations, and there are regular talks between the foreign ministers and other officials, and we hope to see the development of relations as much as possible," he added.
Intl. community waiting for formation of inclusive government in Afghanistan
Answering a question about recognizing the Taliban, the FM spokesperson said, "We can not talk now about the legitimacy of the governing body of Afghanistan. An inclusive government, including all groups and ethnicities in Afghanistan, is what the international community is waiting for."
"The governing body in Afghanistan knows Iran's positions. We ask them to act as the responsible governing body," he added.
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