Speaking to reporters at his weekly press briefing on Monday, Kanaani stressed that Iran's official stance on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) has repeatedly been expressed by senior Iranian officials.

"Based on our principled approach, Iran has a clear fatwa from the Supreme Leader that prohibits the use of inhumane weapons, and we also believe that these weapons pose a threat to the international community," he noted.

He was referring to a religious decree issued by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei that stipulates any acquisition, development, and use of nuclear weapons violate Islamic principles and are therefore forbidden.

Kanaani pointed out that in the West Asia region, only the Israeli regime has not joined the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

He further expressed hope that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will maintain its impartiality in dealing with Iran so that Tehran can continue its constructive engagement with the UN nuclear watchdog.

He explained that negotiations to resolve the remaining issues are ongoing, and both sides agreed to continue their consultations during the recent visit of IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi to Iran.

"We assess Grossi's visit to Iran to be positive," he said.

Kanaani emphasized that whenever the IAEA chief has acted in a technical manner, talks to resolve the issues between Iran and the agency "have progressed well".

However, he cautioned that the technical issues have diverted from their proper course whenever the IAEA has taken a "political approach" with Iran.

The official maintained that Iran will continue to advance its peaceful nuclear program regardless of pressure from the United States.

"If it was up to the United States, they would have wanted to dismantle all the industrial nuts and bolts of Iran's nuclear industry, but Iran continues to advance its peaceful nuclear program," he said.

Kanaani added that talks with the US are taking place through intermediaries and within the framework of lifting the economic sanctions.

"Iran has repeatedly stated that it is committed to a political approach and negotiations in order to achieve the removal of the unjust sanctions," he said.

Iran launches virtual embassy for Palestine

A law related to the Palestinian issues has called for the formation of a virtual embassy for this country in the website of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Kanaani said, adding that the formation of the virtual embassy also takes place in line with a legislation by the Iranian Parliament.

The spokesman noted that Iran has called for the consultative views of the Palestinian embassy in Tehran and the resistance groups about the opening of the virtual embassy, a pilot version of which he said has been launched on the website of the Foreign Ministry until its technical problems are found. 

“Fortunately, we are witnessing an increase in new countries declaring political support for the South African government’s action [in raising a genocide case against the Zionist regime at ICJ],” Kanaani said, adding that Iran gives political support to all honorable actions of governments. 

He stressed that Iran supports such measures, but it has its own considerations and legal approach in joining the case for non-recognition of the Zionist regime.  

Kuwait urged to return to negotiating table on disputed field

Kanaani also touched upon Iran’s dispute with Kuwait over Arash gas field, saying that Iran’s maritime borders with Kuwait have not been set and their share of this field cannot be determined yet. 

The two sides have had nine rounds of legal negotiations in this regard so far and Follow-ups on border demarcation continue, the spokesman said. 

He stressed that the only way to solve this issue is through technical and legal negotiations without resorting to media hype, urging the Kuwaiti government to return to the negotiating table.

Iran, Iraq will not allow any insecurity in common borders

Referring to the recent visit paid by the head of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Nechervan Barzani to Iran, Kanaani said that Iran and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region enjoy deep-rooted friendly ties, noting that the two sides cooperated during the eight years of Holy Defense.

Standing against the ISIS terrorist group in Iraq was one of the other issues of the joint cooperation between the two sides, he said, adding that in this trip, the two sides held explicit consultations and positive discussions regarding this issue.

"When it comes to the security of the common borders of Iran and Iraq, we will not allow any insecurity and we will fight against any insecurity," he stressed, noting that Barzani also stated that the security of Iraq and Iran is the same, announcing that the Iraqi Kurdistan region adheres to the provisions of the Iran-Iraq security agreement.

Foreign countries eye expanding ties with Iran despite US sanctions

Kanaani has pointed out that many countries are willing to ignore unilateral US sanctions against independent nations, such as Iran, in order to establish a common interest.

He further added that the Iran-India agreement for the development of the Chabahar port is based on India's understanding of the nature of unilateral US sanctions.

Iran rejects any interventionist foreign comments about internal affairs

Regarding the biased reports of some Western movements in the field of human rights against Iran, Kanaani underlined that there is a clear double standard in Western behavior regarding this matter. On one hand, they unconditionally support the Zionist regime's ongoing war crimes against the Palestinian people. On the other hand, they violently crack down on their own citizens and university professors.

Kanaani described West’s shameless comments on the judicial issues of other countries as a clear example of hypocrisy and dual standards behaviors.

Obviously, Iran rejects any interventionist comments made by the officials of such countries in its internal affairs, including judicial cases, he noted.

In response to the question of the IRNA correspondent about Iran’s reaction to the recent movements of the terrorist group Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) and their leader’s remarks to the representatives of the UK and US, Kanaani expressed doubts about the political wisdom of those who take advice from an unpopular and outcast group like MKO.

MKO has received their answer from the Iranians and are now living as homeless in other countries, he added.