Iran has no contact with US about JCPOA or any other issues: Khatibzadeh

Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday, Khatibzadeh addressed some rumors about negotiations between Iran and the US on Afghanistan and said, “We have had no direct or indirect contact with the US about the JCPOA or any other issues”.

“About the proposal for holding a meeting on Afghanistan in the framework of the United Nations, we have not yet received an invitation from the organization. The issue of Afghanistan is not our bargaining chip in talks with anyone,” he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Khatibzadeh referred to Irish Foreign Minister’s visit to Tehran and said, “During the visit, Ireland’s Foreign Minister met with Iranian officials and discussed different issues including the JCPOA, bilateral relations and the reopening Ireland’s embassy in Tehran”.

Regarding Iran’s blocked money in Iraq, he said, “The Iraqi government has always tried to pay its debts to Iran, but there have been sanctions in the meantime. For several months now, the path of payment of these debts has been discussed between the Central Bank of Iran and the Iraqi parties, some of which have reached a conclusion and are moving forward in their own path and channels.Of course, good progress has been made in this area,” he added.

Asked if $3 billion had been allegedly released from Iranian assets in South Korea, Khatibzadeh said, “We have not yet seen any practical action in this regard and today we are waiting for practical action from the South Korean government”.

In response to a question about the Pope’s visit to Iraq and his meeting with Ayatollah Sistani, he said, “This trip was very good and important. Iraq has become a safe haven today with the courage of the people and the wisdom of its authority against extremism and foreign conspiracies. The message of this trip is a peaceful and secure Iraq”.

“The Pope’s meeting with the supreme authority of Iraq in its own way shows dialogue and rapprochement between religions and has no message other than the message of peace, friendship, and civilization,” he added.

The spokesperson added that the messages conveyed by Grand Ayatollah Sistani during this meeting are very important, especially the issue of Palestine.