Tehran serious about nuclear talks, prisoner swap: FM spokesman
The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the Islamic Republic is serious about exchanging prisoners with the U.S., holding negotiations for the removal of sanctions, reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, and achieving results in the talks.
Nasser Kanaani, in his weekly press conference on Monday, added that Iran will use every diplomatic means to achieve positive results in the talks for the removal of sanctions, and has taken advantage of goodwill steps by regional parties such as Oman, IFP reported.
The spokesman also said Iran is serious about getting results, but one needs to wait and see whether the U.S. has the will to correct its past policies. The U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran unilaterally.
“It is natural that Iran’s attitude towards the U.S. will not change until America’s behavior changes fundamentally,” he said, hinting at speculations about an agreement with the U.S. to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman also commented on the move by the foreign policy committee of the U.S. Congress on making anti-Iran sanctions permanent.
“This is an open duplicity; they ask for negotiations, on one hand, and take steps on sanctions, on the other. Continuation of U.S. sanctions against Iran will lead nowhere as it has not born results so far,” he said.
Kanaani also talked about the issue of swapping prisoners with the U.S., saying this is still on Iran’s agenda. He added that it is for the U.S. government to decide whether it is ready in this regard.
Meanwhile, the spokesman announced that the Iranian Foreign Ministry will publish its annual report on the situation of human rights in the United States on the occasion of the American Human Rights Review and Exposure Week (June 27–July 3).
Commenting on new sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) on Iran, Kanaani said the bloc is moving in the “wrong direction” by taking the “disproportionate measure” of simultaneously calling for dialogue and slapping bans on Tehran.
“Europe should refrain from following in the footsteps of the U.S.,” he added, according to Press TV.
Earlier on Monday, the European Council decided to impose the ninth package of sanctions on an additional seven individuals over alleged human rights violations in Iran.
The EU restrictive measures now apply to a total of 223 individuals and 37 entities.