“We want arrests and violence to be stopped,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said at his regular press briefing in reply to a question about the recent arrest of the Muslim Brotherhood’s top leader, Mohamed Badie, in Cairo.
“The Egyptian people are a vigilant people, and Egyptian leaders should be wise and prudent,” he said.
Araqchi added, “Over the past few days, our country’s foreign minister (Mohammad Javad Zarif) has held several conversations with international officials, and the issue of Egypt was discussed in the phone conversations he held with other foreign ministers.”
During the press conference, Araqchi also commented on the news reports that the Foreign Ministry and not the Supreme National Security Council will handle talks between Iran and world powers over the country’s nuclear program during President Hassan Rohani’s administration.
“It does not matter whether the secretariat of the national security or the Foreign Ministry handles the case. The Islamic Republic of Iran has a number of principles in regard to the nuclear issue which are unchangeable,” he said.
“Safeguarding nuclear achievements and the rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran is an unchangeable policy.”
Asked whether Iran’s new president would attend the 67th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Araqchi said, “All preparations for the trip have been made by the Foreign Ministry,” adding that Mr. Rohani should decide whether to make the trip or not.
Iran on Tuesday expressed concern about the escalation of violence in Egypt and called for arrests to be stopped in the Arab country.
News ID 185116
