Iran Press/ America: "Iran and China are also natural allies whose cooperation with each other is in the interests of both of them," Majid Takht-e Ravanchi told Russia Today on Thursday.
He also blamed the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for the current turmoil, stressing that the Americans were the first ones who left the negotiating table and that US officials' claims that food and medicine were exempt from sanctions were irrelevant saying"Food and medicine imports are still the targets of US sanctions,"
Elsewhere in the talks, Iran's envoy to the United Nations refuted allegations that Iran was involved in a tanker attack in the Persian Gulf, saying the allegations were baseless and that no evidence had been provided.
Takht-e Ravanchi continued: The assassination of Lt.General Soleimani, the hero of the fight against terrorism, was the greatest American gift to terrorists in the region.
He stressed: "ISIL and its allies celebrated this assassination because Lt.General Soleimani knew well how to deal effectively with these extremist groups."
Referring to the Iraqi Prime Minister's visit to Tehran, Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations said that Iran and Iraq have traditional and historical ties and added: "US actions cannot affect relations between Iran and its neighbors."
Emphasizing Iran's will to strengthen ties with its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, Takht-e-Ravanchi referred to the Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE) peace plan presented to the UN General Assembly last year by President Hassan Rouhani.
He added: "This initiative includes a fundamental proposal for cooperation in various fields." Iran wants good relations with its neighbors, including its southern neighbors, but it is the United States that does not want such relations between Iran and its neighbors.
204/203
