Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, Kanaani said that the new deal with the US on prisoner swap and release of Iran’s frozen funds was the outcome of two years of negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Iran “has received the necessary guarantees for the implementation of this agreement from the United States,” he said.
He added that the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi has paid serious attention to efforts to protect the rights of Iranian citizens who have been pursued and prosecuted all over the world.
“We are serious about vindicating the rights of the Iranian nation,” he affirmed.
Terrorist attack in Shiraz
Kanaani also condemned a deadly Sunday terrorist attack at the Shah Cheragh shrine in the southern Iranian province of Fars.
“The terrorists are trying to take revenge against the [Iranian] people for the heavy blows that the brave Iranian forces inflicted on their evil and dirty family in the past years,” he stated.
JCPOA diplomatic path not closed
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also pointed to the talks on lifting anti-Iran sanctions, noting that the diplomatic process has its own specific course and the path is not closed. He added that while the prisoner swap and the unfreezing of Iranian assets are not directly related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), these issues can affect each other.
Kanaani also said that Iran has always emphasized that it is committed to the diplomatic path in the talks on the removal of sanctions and it is going to utilize the path to assert the rights of Iranian people.
Regarding Iran’s frozen funds in Japan, Kanaani stated that during a recent visit to Tokyo, the Iranian foreign minister explained that a significant amount of Iran’s funds in Japan have been received through various methods, with a small portion remaining in Japanese banks. Negotiations on this issue were held during Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian’s visit and were positive. It is hoped that access to the remaining assets in Japan will be gained with the help of the other side.
Martyr Soleimani’s role in enhancing resistance
Kanaani also spoke about the role of Martyr Soleimani in enhancing resistance. He stated that former US President Donald Trump directly ordered the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani due to his unique role in fighting Takfiri groups and foiling terrorist plots in West Asia. Martyr Soleimani played a decisive role in fighting terrorists, especially the Daesh terrorist group, and reinforced popular resistance against the Zionist regime throughout the region. The United States’ cowardly act of assassinating General Soleimani was seen as taking revenge against a great man who played an incomparable role in threatening the Zionist regime in the region.
Details of Iranian delegation’s visit to Deh Rawood stream gauging station
Elaborating on the details of visiting the Deh Rawood stream gauging station in Afghanistan by the Iranian delegation, Kanaani said that only one of Iran’s requests for a visit has been confirmed by Afghanistan.
A delegation consisting of technical experts from the Ministry of Energy and a number of officials of Sistan and Baluchestan traveled to Afghanistan.
This was the first time since 1973 that an Iranian delegation visited the area, he added.
Saudi King invites President Raisi
Regarding Saudi Kingdom’s invitation to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, he said that in the framework of the two sides’ political will, planning will be made at an appropriate time.
The relations between the two countries are progressing, he stated.
He noted that the Iranian foreign minister’s trip to Saudi Arabia will take place soon.
