Iran: Ready to implement prisoner exchange with US

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The Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani stressed Sunday that Iran will never sacrifice its own political independence for the sake of certain diplomatic relations, denying claims that Russia is obstructing the Vienna talks on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

In an interview with the Iranian news agency ISNA, Kanaani said that "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not sacrifice its political independence for the sake of [diplomatic] relations with any other countries."

"The same approach is also being exercised throughout the sanctions removal talks. Russia is a signatory to the JCPOA, and has naturally participated in the negotiation process and made comments," he indicated.

The Iranian spokesperson rejected allegations that Russia has asked Iran to delay the nuclear agreement until a later time in winter, underlining that Washington must take on its responsibility and contribute to the conclusion of the deal.

"The fact that America occasionally tends to level allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia is simply a blame game," he pointed out.

In this regard, Kanaani also made clear that Russia and China have facilitated and are assisting the advancement of the nuclear talks, adding that the official positions of Moscow and Beijing are completely in support of the revival of the JCPOA and Tehran's stance.

"The US government is a party that has left the negotiations, and is now inventing excuses and obstructing the conclusion of the final agreement. It is worth mentioning that the political independence of the Islamic Republic of Iran is so important that it will not be influenced by the political view of any other country," Kanaani explained.

In a separate context, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that his country is ready to implement a prisoner exchange with the US, noting that it is up to Washington to decide whether it wants to implement the deal or not.

"We have already voiced our readiness to exchange prisoners with the US, and we are still ready to do so. Negotiations have been conducted in different ways over the matter, and parties have reached the necessary agreements. It is now up to the US administration to decide whether it wants to implement this agreement or not. We are prepared to enforce it," Kanaani affirmed.

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