US not to gain outcome with Trump mentality says FM Spokesman

Saeed Khatibzadeh

Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday that the United States won’t have an achievement unless they put aside former US President Donald Trump's mentality and considers facts on the ground.

In his weekly press conference, Khatibzadeh said that Foreign Ministry of Iran summoned UK’s chargé d'affaires and Romania’s Ambassador in Iran on the allegations made against Iran over the maritime incident off the coast of Oman leading to the death a British and a Romanian citizen.

On the accusation raised by European officials against Iran, the spokesman said that allegations made by UK authorities were nothing new, as it was a ring of a chain of irresponsible statements by UK officials against Iran.

He pointed to the UK’s last year seizure of an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar, terming it piracy.

Khatibzadeh also said that statements by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell were irresponsible and biased and that Iran condemned the G7 communique in the strongest possible terms, as they were not helping peace and stability of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea waterways.

The Israeli regime has committed sabotage acts against Iranian vessels several times, he stressed, adding that however, the European countries have kept silent on such aggression.

He also underlined that Iran has never quitted talks in Vienna, but they have been deferred until the new administration in Iran forms its cabinet and the minister and negotiation team are appointed.

President Ebrahim Raisi has made it clear that his administration would welcome any negotiation that would lead to removal of sanctions against Iranian people, Khatibzadeh highlighted.

Asked about UK’s arrears to Iran, he said that the debt which dates back to four decades ago, has been confirmed by British courts, but different UK governments have avoided paying them under different unfounded pretexts.

If the UK continues to do so, Khatizadeh added, Iran would hold it accountable.

Commenting on the war in Yemen, the foreign ministry spokesman said that Iran has had broad cooperation with the UN special envoy on Yemen, but the war in this country wouldn’t end until the involving states change their approach.

He also touched upon the situation in Afghanistan, saying that Iran was ready to hold the second Afghan-Afghan meeting, adding that the neighbors of Afghanistan need to cooperate with each other and help the country.