Khatibzadeh: US arms sales not bringing peace, showing double standards

Khatibzadeh was speaking at his weekly presser in Tehran on Monday.

He said “We advise US to try to understand the realities of the region, instead of tampering regional arrangements and engaging in behind-the-scenes designs to undermine regional calm, and to know that, billion-dollar sales of advanced weapons not only do not bring peace to the region, but also expose their double standards.”

He also emphasized on the formation of and inclusive government in Afghanistan, adding “The path to the future of Afghanistan, is that of the realization of the will of the people, all of them. We are in contact with all Afghan groups, including the Taliban, and we have worked to ensure that people suffer as little as possible, whether the refugees or those facing problems in the territory of Afghanistan.”

Khatibzadeh also touched on the Vienna talks over the revival of the Iran nuclear deal and said: “If today, we have a common text, that is because the western side realized that it should back down on its maximalist demands. The western sides have realized that they cannot have any demands on the nuclear issue beyond the JCPOA.”

Referring to some reports that the Russian envoy is talking to the US on behalf of Iran, Khatibzadeh said, “There is a clear channel for exchange of views between Iran and the US.

Viewpoints are exchanged in written form, but informally. And these are done through the coordinator of the joint commission [of the JCPOA],” he said.

The spokesman also addressed the US stance on human rights, saying human rights is a sheer means for Washington to its ends.

“Human rights is a tool in the toolkit of the foreign policy of the United States, and Washington has always used it against those who resisted the colonial policies of the US, or did not support them. Everywhere, there are governments that supported this country on human rights – regardless of how seriously they violated human rights, or how far they were from catching up with its standards – the US abandoned human rights,” he said.

The spokesman then shifted to the move by a number of countries to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics.

He said the US and the European countries, which imposed the boycott once more showed their disregard for common principles of humanity by politicizing the games.
Khatibzadeh pledged that Iran will take part in the winter Olympics “at a good level”