Swiss FM’s Iran Trip Not Related to Tehran-Washington Issues

TEHRAN (defapress)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis’ trip to Tehran has nothing to do with Iran-US issues and has already been planned within the framework of bilateral ties.

News ID: 81939

Date: 05 September 2020 - 15:07

“This trip has nothing to do with Iran-US issues. This trip has already been planned within the framework of reciprocal ties and regular trips by both countries’ foreign ministers. Of course the trip takes place with delay due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Khatibzadeh said.

He said Ignazio will exchange views with Iranian officials on issues of mutual interest at bilateral, regional and international levels as well as issues related to the Swiss financial channel.

“As announced before, two transactions have taken place so far via the Swiss financial channel. Both transactions included the transfer of medications using Iranian financial resources in Switzerland,” the spokesman added.

“Due to some destructive moves made by the US with regards to this financial channel, we have serious doubts about the United States’ intentions,” he noted.

“Of course, it is clear that everything conducted so far through this financial channel has been done with Iranian assets in Switzerland,” Khatibzadeh went on to say.
“We welcome any move that would see this channel get rid of the US pressure and ease the shipment of commodities and medicines by using Iran’s assets in other countries,” he stressed.

“Some Swiss parliamentary officials will be accompanying him (Swiss foreign minister), too, during this visit. A meeting has been scheduled for him at the Iranian parliament,” the spokesman further said.

Khatibzadeh pointed to reports on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s contacts with the Swiss top diplomat, saying, “The US secretary of state’s hasty contacts with dignitaries who are going to visit Iran are nothing new.”

“Out of desperation, Pompeo seeks to pursue Washington’s 'maximum pressure' policy one way or another. So, he tries to dissuade third countries from having normal relations with Iran. Of course, he has failed in his attempts so far. The Americans failed in their efforts, too, during a trip to Iran by director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi. This time, too, their pressure will fail,” he added.

In relevant remarks in late August, Iranian Ambassador to London Hamid Bayeedinejad said the recent agreement between his country and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has disappointed the US, adding that Washington can no more take Iran’s nuclear issue to the UN Security Council.

"The IAEA's admitting that its request for access to Iran's facilities should be based on its independent analysis and by providing the requested access, the IAEA would have no other question or request for another access to places except those mentioned, made the US disappointed with regard to taking the issue of Iran's safeguards to the UN Security Council," Bayeedinejad wrote on his Twitter page on Wednesday August 26.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued a joint statement on Wednesday August 26 on nuclear cooperation at the end of the agency’s chief Rafael Mariano Grossi’s trip to Iran.

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