Iran Press/ Iran News: During his first press conference in the year 1400, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said: "This year, the Islamic Revolution Leader named the new year as 'production, support and elimination of obstacles'. The Foreign Ministry is involved in all three parts of this slogan and can take action in this regard.
Khatibzadeh added: "In Esfand of 1399 (previous year in Iranian calendar), we had the diplomatic ceremony of Nowruz with the presence of all the resident ambassadors. The second Tehran Dialogue Forum was also held with the participation of officials from Turkey, Afghanistan, Russia, etc."
According to Khatibzadeh, FM Zarif also paid a visit to Turkey and held bilateral talks with his counterpart.
"In the year 1400, we hosted a delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meetings were held with FM Zarif, President Hassan Rouhani, and Parliament Speaker Larijani, and we signed a 25-year Iran-China cooperation document," he noted.
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He also said: "FM Zarif also had a telephone conversation with his French and British counterparts. Today, Dr. Zarif has started a regional trip to Central Asia. This trip will continue until Thursday."
According to Khatibzadeh, The JCPOA seasonal commission meeting was held, the first part of which was held online, and its continuation will be followed up tomorrow in Vienna.
No direct or indirect dialogue with the United States:
In his presser Khatibzadeh also said that no direct or indirect dialogue with the United States had taken place in Vienna and it would not take place in the future.
He added that the Iran-China Comprehensive Cooperation Document is not an agreement, noting: "The presence of foreign forces in Iran is fundamentally rejected because it is against the Iranian constitution."
Answering a question about whether it was possible to sign the document with other countries, he said: "It is possible and it has been possible before. There was a document with Russia that we must renew."
Answering another question about the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the spokesman stated: "No step-for-a-step plan has been proposed by Iran and Iran has not accepted any step-for-a-step plan."
He added: "Iran's position was fully explained in the joint commission on Friday. We welcome the United States to set aside the wrong path. No direct or indirect dialogue with the United States has taken place in Vienna and nowhere else and it will not take place in future."
Referring to US sanctions, Khatibzadeh added: "All sanctions must be lifted, and Iran has discussed the verification path with the P4+1. The Vienna talks are also technical and legal."
Commenting on the Wall Street Journal's claim that two agreements were reached in Vienna, the senior Iranian diplomat said: "Where and how the P4+1 will speak to the United States is up to the P4+1 itself. Tomorrow, according to the commission's agenda, we will discuss the way to lift the sanctions. The path is clear. US sanctions must be lifted and verified. We have only one step. It includes the lifting of all US sanctions, in return for which Iran is ready to suspend its retaliatory measures."
Regarding the visit of the South Korean Prime Minister to Tehran, Khatibzadeh said: "It had been requested and we welcomed this visit. The technical details of the trip are being finalized and we will announce it as soon as it is finalized. We expect the Korean Prime Minister to bring solutions to free Iran's blocked resources in Korea; This has severely affected bilateral relations."
"The issue of the Korean ship is a completely different issue from bilateral relations," Khatibzadeh said of the Korean media's announcement of the release of their tanker. "The Korean government has made serious demands of us, and the captain has no criminal record. We have made our proposals to the judiciary, and the judiciary will announce it as soon as they get a result."
Regarding the Saudi Foreign Minister's remarks and that Saudi Arabia should be present in the Iran, P4+1 talks, he said: "Saudi Arabia's position towards JCPOA is clear and it carried out destructive actions during the negotiations. Negotiations over JCPOA have finished and sealed. We recommend that Saudi Arabia return to regional talks and that the region will welcome Saudi Arabia."
Answering a question about China's adherence to its commitments in the Iran-China Comprehensive Cooperation document, he said: "We did not put any commitments or agreements in this roadmap, and these are a roadmap and priorities for cooperation."
"COVAX will send a number of vaccines in the next few days," he said regarding the vaccination process in Iran. "I think the import of vaccines will be accelerated through Russia and Cuba. If India sends its vaccine, we will reach several million doses of imports, and of course, according to the Ministry of Health, the home-made vaccines will be provided too."
He underscored: "JCPOA is alive because Iran has acted very patiently and responsibly and the costs of maintaining JCPOA's burden have been on Iran's shoulders until today. What we agreed on during Grossi's visit to Tehran was only a three-month agreement."
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