Iran to Iraqi govt.: Dismantle terrorist bases in northern Iraq

Khatibzadeh, holding his weekly briefing session on Monday, said Iran has often told the government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan region that the presence of terrorists in northern Iraq is contradictory to good-neighborliness. 

He noted that the situation is not sustainable and the terrorist bases must be dismantled. 

Khatibzadeh also spoke of Sunday’s vote in Iraq, saying Iran welcomes successful holding of elections in the country. 

The Foreign Ministry spokesman later turned to the Iran nuclear deal and the Vienna talks. He slammed the European troika’s inaction, which he said, emboldened former US president Donald Trump to violate all international treaties including the nuclear agreement, known as the JCPOA, and UN Security Council Resolution 2231. 

On the outgoing German Chancellor’s call on Iran to immediately return to the Vienna talks, Khatibzadeh advised Angela Merkel and the troika to note that had it not been for their inaction, Trump wouldn’t have dared to leave the JCPOA and breach Resolution 2231. 

He said Iran expects the other sides to realize that there is no escape from commitments, urging them to give assurances to the Islamic Republic that no one will be able to violate the JCPOA and reinstate sanctions. Khatibzadeh said Germany itself failed to abide by many of its commitments under the nuclear deal. 

He also noted that no new deal will replace the JCPOA. Khatibzadeh said there will be more interactions regarding the deal and the Vienna talks in the next days.