DNA
TABRIZ
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said developing relations between Iran and Japan will be the main objective of President Hassan Rouhani’s upcoming visit to Japan.
Speaking in a press conference in Tabriz, Abbas Mousavi said suggestions presented by Japan to de-escalate tensions in the region have been out of good-will. He described Rouhani’s upcoming visit to Tokyo as significant and expressed the hope for all foreign trips to be fruitful.
Japan is an important country in Western Asia and Iran has many interactions with it, he added.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Mousavi referred to the recent prisoner swap between Iran and the US and its possibility in the future, saying after releasing Iranian professor by the US, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that Iran is ready to exchange all prisoners.
The US has always taken advantage of pressures, he said calling for immunization against pressures.
Elaborating on developing ties with the neighboring states and lifting visas between Iran and Azerbaijan, Mousavi said Azerbaijan is an important country in the regional equations. He added that decreasing obstacles on Iranian and Azeri nationals’ trips is one of the ways for developing interactions.
Iran has so far tried to show good-will and has lifted visa requirements with Nakhchivan, Mousavi noted.
Mousavi slammed the US’ recent missile test, saying that Iran expresses concern and believes that the US unilateral withdrawal from Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) will result in insecurity in the world.
In response to a question on recent elections in the UK, he said Iran will not interfere with the internal affairs of other countries.
Mousavi expressed hope that the UK government would comply with its commitments under the nuclear deal.
Referring to tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Karabakh issue, he said Iran’s stances are clear in this regard.
Iran is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan and Armenia to help resolve the issue peacefully, Mousavi reiterated.
“We have repeatedly stated our position within the framework of international law and resolutions and have always expressed our readiness to reduce tensions between the two countries.
Elaborating on environmental issues like polluting Aras River by Armenia, Mousavi said the issue is of importance and the Iranian Foreign Ministry is following up on the issue.
He also rejected claims made by the US over the exemption of food and drug from the sanctions’ list, saying the US sanctions are a vivid example of crimes against humanity and are regarded as economic terrorism.
