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Iran Ready to Help Neighbours Now that ‘Trump Security’ Illusion Gone

November 9, 2020

Saeed Khatibzadeh said the illusion that the Trump administration would provide security for these countries is gone.

“With the ‘Trump security’ illusion gone, one or two of our neighbouring countries may come to their senses and realize that they cannot always obtain security by paying money and lobbying, that they cannot always buy weapons and kill Yemeni people by lobbying,” he said in his weekly press briefing.

The spokesman said Iran has always pursued the good neighbour policy and would help its neighbours.

“Since day one, Iran has been pursuing a constant and well-known policy, and that is good-neighborliness. Iran will not change its policy with the replacement of officials in other countries,” said the spokesman.

“This is Iran’s clear message to them. … They should come to understand, as soon as possible, that we should be seeking a local mechanism in the region. That would be better for them and for the region,” he said.

“We think this change should take place in those countries and they should develop such an understanding. With thousands of years of history in this region, the Islamic Republic of Iran believes it has a heavy responsibility to, as much as possible, help its neighbours understand these realities, so that our region will have to pay less costs,” he said.

Israel Seeks to Launch War with US Soldiers’ Blood: Iran

IFP Editorial Staff

November 9, 2020

Israel Seeks to Launch War with US Soldiers’ Blood: Iran

Speaking in his weekly press briefing, Saeed Khatibzadeh added Tel Aviv is unable to ensure security even in its own backyard.

“Israeli officials like war very much, but they always want to do it with US soldiers’ blood. If they could, they would ensure security along the borders between the occupied [Palestinian] territories and Lebanon,” he said.

The spokesman said Israel seeks to trigger crises in order to maintain its unlawful existence.

“Of course, in order to preserve its credibility and existence, the occupying regime of Israel has been trying to create crises since the day this forged entity came into being in Palestinian territories. Naturally, it always seeks to create crises,” he said.

He reiterated that national security is one of Iran’s red lines.

“They know as everyone else that the Islamic Republic of Iran is absolutely serious as far as its national security is concerned,” he said.

Khatibzadeh said Israel also seeks to promote Iranophobia to paint a grim picture of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“There is another point which is known to all those who prudently follow up on developments, and that is Iranophobia and creating fear in other capitals,” he said.

“They have always received a firm response whenever necessary and took refuge in their dens,” he added.

Those Who Killed Soleimani to Remain on Iran’s Wanted List: Foreign Ministry

IFP Editorial Staff

November 9, 2020

Saeed Khatibzadeh said all perpetrators of, and accomplices to General Soleimani’s assassination should be brought to justice.

“We basically consider no presidential immunity for the perpetrators [of General Qassem Soleimani’s assassination]. Since day one, we have considered no immunity for those who committed this crime,” said the spokesman in his weekly press conference.

“The perpetrators of, as well as accessories to the cowardly assassination of Lieutenant General [Qassem] Soleimani have always been, are and will be on our wanted list,” he noted.

He said Iran is going through judicial proceedings to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Our judiciary is completing the cases, and we hope it will soon release these judicial cases [related to General Soleimani’s assassination],” he said.

“They must be brought to justice and must be held accountable. They must be answerable for this assassination,” said Khatibzadeh.

He added Iran is responsible for the assassination as the crime was committed on Iraqi soil.

“We have been working very closely with different Iraqi institutions following the assassination. This assassination took place on Iraqi soil. The Iraqi government is responsible and should be brought to account for that,” he said.

“Moreover, some top Iraqi officials were killed in the assassination, too. The case remains open and it has different overt and covert dimensions,” he said.

“This incident tops the list of issues that the Islamic Republic of Iran is pursuing, and will remain so until our efforts produce a result,” Khatibzadeh added.

Iran Urges Regional States Not to Rely on US for Security

IFP Editorial Staff

November 9, 2020

Iran Urges Regional States Not to Rely on US for Security

Speaking in his weekly press briefing via videoconference, Saeed Khatibzadeh said these countries must have realized that they should not compromise their security by relying on the White House.

“What happened in the United States, in fact, has a message for our region. And, as the foreign minister said in his recent tweet, the message is that taking a gamble to buy security from psychotics who only think about blood, weapons and money amounts to putting one’s eggs in an unreliable basket,” he said.

The spokesman urged regional countries not to count on the US for their security.
“Since day one, the Islamic Republic of Iran knew this and told its neighbours about it. Unfortunately, a handful of our neighbouring countries keep thinking about buying security and loyalty. They pay more attention to lobbying in other countries and capitals than rely on their own people,” he said.

Khatibzadeh noted that foreign weapons have fueled insecurity the Middle East region.

“The most important message is that our region is a crisis-hit one suffering from a lot of wounds many of which were caused by billions of dollars’ worth of arms sent in, and by narrow-minded rulers who think they achieve their goals simply by making it through the day,” said the spokesman.

He then urged the regional countries who have turned to the US to change course and engage with countries in the region to achieve security and tranquility.

“Let me mention a point. Iran believes the few neighbouring countries which have isolated themselves and find calm and security only in the occupied territories and in Trump’s Washington had better press the hand that Iran has extended and return and find tranquility in regional security arrangements and relations based on respect,” he said.

Biden’s Return to Iran Deal Prelude to Talks on Other Areas: Ex-Diplomat

IFP Editorial Staff

November 9, 2020

Biden’s Return to Iran Deal Prelude to Talks on Other Areas

Qassem Mohebali, the former director for Middle East affairs at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says Iran must welcome Biden’s coming to power because Donald Trump created four very tough years for Iran and, with his all-out and unprecedented sanctions, imposed a difficult situation on the country.

“First, he pulled out of the JCPOA, reinstated sanctions, assassinated General Soleimani and even moved to bring back the UN Security Council’s international sanctions,” the former Iranian diplomat underlined.

“Under such circumstances, one has to wait and see what policies and approaches Biden will adopt toward Iran. In fact, Biden should be judged by his actions,” said the analyst.

“If the policies he has announced and he will adopt are in line with Iran’s national interests, then we should react to him positively. But overall, it is too early for now to rush and talk about Biden’s presence in the White House,” he noted.

The analyst weighed in on what stance Tehran should adopt if the Biden administration refuses to unconditionally return to the Iran nuclear deal.

“In this respect, one should bear an important reality in mind that Iran, in tandem with Trump’s actions, scaled down some of its commitments under the nuclear deal, too. So, we can say that the situation is, by no means, the same as what it was 4 years ago; and Biden cannot adopt policies on Tehran in accordance with the past conditions, either,” he said.

“If Biden announces that he will return to the Iran nuclear deal, Iran should definitely welcome the move. But naturally, any political move requires some preconditions,” the analyst said.

He then referred to the preconditions that Biden has announced for talks with Iran.

“In the Democratic Party’s protocol for 2020, it was straightforwardly mentioned that the US would like to return to the Iran nuclear deal provided that Tehran delivers on its commitments, too,” he added.

“However, the nuclear deal is not the end; rather, it is the point to begin. So, from the United States’ standpoint, the Iran nuclear deal could be a prelude to negotiations in other areas,” he said.

“I think it is somehow not right to say that it doesn’t matter to Iran whether Trump or Biden becomes president. In fact, we can say there are some differences between the two, and it does not apply to Iran only. The whole world draws a distinction between Biden and Trump,” he said.

“Definitely, there is a difference between someone who speaks of negotiations and returning to the nuclear deal and someone who speaks of maintaining the maximum pressure policy,” he said.

According to Mohebali, Europe, too, will welcome Biden’s presidency, resulting in close cooperation between the two sides again.

“Unlike during the tenure of Trump who somehow stressed unilateralism, Biden’s presidency will push the US toward multilateralism and international engagement,” said the analyst in an interview with Entekhab news website.

“However, one should bear in mind that Europe and the United States will further coordinate their policies on the Middle East and Iran,” he said.

Tehran Vows Support for Peace Process Led by Afghan Gov’t

IFP Editorial Staff

November 9, 2020

Tehran Vows Support for Peace Process Led by Afghan Gov't

Canadian diplomat Deborah Lyons, who is also head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), conferred with Araqchi on Sunday on the political and security conditions in Afghanistan, the latest developments in the Afghan peace process, and problems in the course of intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha.

Reaffirming Iran’s support for the peace process in Afghanistan under the ownership of the Afghan government and with the participation of all Afghan groups, including the Taliban, Araqchi stressed the need to protect the Afghan people’s achievements of the past two decades, particularly the Afghan Constitution and democratic structures.

The Afghan problem has no military solution, the Iranian diplomat underscored, saying the US government’s wrong and unilateral policies on the peace process have caused trouble to the Afghan people.

Pointing to the UN’s role in facilitating the Afghan peace talks, Araqchi voiced Iran’s readiness to cooperate with the UNAMA in advancing the intra-Afghan negotiations.

For her part, Lyons hailed Iran’s positive role in supporting the Afghan people and government, expressing the UN’s readiness to contribute to the peace talks in Afghanistan.

Both diplomats also voiced concern about the rising war fatalities in Afghanistan, and called for the reduction of violence to prepare the ground for the advancement of intra-Afghan talks.

Iranian, UN Envoys for Afghanistan Discuss Peace Process

IFP Editorial Staff

November 9, 2020

Iranian, UN Envoys for Afghanistan Discuss Peace Process

In the Sunday meeting held in Tehran, the two sides conferred on the latest developments, the political and security conditions of Afghanistan, and the peace process in that country.

They also elaborated on their views about various aspects of intra-Afghan talks.
Taherian called on the UN and its secretary-general to play a more significant role in helping the progress of intra-Afghan talks and international negotiations on the country’s crisis.

He also expressed Iran’s support and preparedness for cooperation with the UN in this regard.

The Iranian envoy said Tehran considers Afghan peace and security as its own, and will support a peace process led and owned by Afghans.

For her part, the UNAMA chief, who is heading a delegation in her trip to Tehran, praised Iran‘s support for the Afghan people and its efforts to help resolve the country’s problems.

She also expressed the UN’s readiness to play an effective role in the progress of the peace process and for cooperation with regional countries for economic and social development of Afghanistan.

In this meeting, the two sides also expressed concern over the escalation of violence in Afghanistan in the past three months, and called for de-escalation of violence and prevention of civilian casualties.