WANA (May 1) – Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, spoke today at his weekly press conference about the seizure of the Marshall ship and nuclear negotiations.

 

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Naser Kanaani speaks in his weekly press conference in Tehran, Iran, March 13, 2023. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

 

 

 

 

Here are the essential parts of his remarks:

 

 

 

 

  • (referring to seizure of Marshal oil tanker) – If Iran’s interests are threatened anywhere in the world by any opposing parties, Iran has proved and showed in action that its hands are not tight and the barely move will be reciprocal and proportionate with that.

 

  • (referring to seizure of Marshal oil tanker) In defense of our national interests and citizen rights, if being harassed by any opposing party, we will do our very best to defend and uphold them anywhere in the world.

 

  • The exchange of prisoners between Iran and the United States has been ongoing with the role of the third party, and we have reached an agreement about that.

 

  • (referring to the prisoner swap between Iran and U.S.) We consider this subject humane and ready to implement prisoner exchange.

 

  • (referring to nuclear talks and sanctions) The path for diplomacy is still open, and we are exchanging messages (with P5+1). There are different ways of exchanging messages (between Iran and America). By considering red lines, Iran is ready to finalize negotiations. The path to diplomacy will not always be open.

 

IRAN & SAUDI ARABIA RELATIONS

After the recent riots in Sudan, the Saudi government, in a humanitarian act, helped Iran so that Iranian citizens could escape from those critical conditions through Saudi Arabia. Kanaani showed a reaction to this issue and said:

  •  “Transfer of sixty-five Iranian citizens from Sudan to the Islamic Republic of Iran was a positive move and formed within the framework of cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia. I like to thank Saudi Arabia’s officials again for their decisive humanitarian help in transferring Iranian citizens from Sudan to Jeddah port and sending them to Iran. We greatly appreciate Saudi officials for that.”

 

  • “We are in the process of opening our embassies and consular agencies in both countries. We are currently finalizing the executive formalities in due course.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Naser Kanaani speaks in his weekly press conference in Tehran, Iran, March 13, 2023. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Naser Kanaani speaks in his weekly press conference in Tehran, Iran, March 13, 2023. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)