US needs to ‘fundamentally change’ its behavior toward Iran: FM spox

Iran has underlined the need for the United States to “fundamentally change” its hostile behavior toward the Islamic Republic as a prelude to any alternation in Tehran’s policy regarding Washington.

Speaking during a weekly press briefing in Tehran on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani stressed that the Iranian nation and government attach importance to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s view on the US.

“Iran’s approach towards the United States is based on [Washington’s] hostile behavior. It is natural that Iran’s attitude towards the US will not change until America’s behavior changes fundamentally,” he said, hinting at speculations about an agreement with the US to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Kan’ani also said that Iran has not tied its foreign relations and national interests to any specific country or case, adding that the government is pursuing balanced ties with different states based on mutual respect.

“Iran expands its foreign relations with other countries based on national interests and mutual respect. Over the past two years, we have seen the benefits of the government’s regional convergence policy,” he said.

Meanwhile, the spokesman announced that the Iranian Foreign Ministry will publish its annual report on the situation of human rights in the United States on the occasion of the American Human Rights Review and Exposure Week (June 27-July 3).

Release of nationals imprisoned in US

He further said that Iran is still pursuing the release of its nationals held illegally in US prisons and that the previous understandings in this regard failed due to Washington’s unpreparedness to decide their implementation.

“In the past and at different stages, we had understandings between Iran and the United States through intermediaries, but when it came to their implementation, the American side was not ready to make decisions and implement them,” he said.

Kan’ani also emphasized that the US sanctions are illegal in principle and that the arrest and imprisonment of people under the pretext of circumventing sanctions is “twice as illegal.”

“However, the issue is still being followed up. We are pursuing the return of these people to their families through a role played by the parties that have goodwill. We have to see whether the US is ready for such a decision or not?”

EU moving in ‘wrong direction’

Commenting on new sanctions imposed by the European Union on Iran, the spokesman said the bloc is moving in the “wrong direction” by taking the “disproportionate measure” of simultaneously calling for dialogue and slapping bans on Tehran.

“Europe should refrain from following the US footsteps and change the process of imposing sanctions against the Iranian government and nation,” he added.

Earlier on Monday, the European Council decided to impose the ninth package of sanctions on an additional 7 individuals over alleged human rights violations in Iran.

The fresh package of sanctions follows the previous eight adopted by the European Council since October 2022, the latest of which was approved on May 22, 2023.

The EU restrictive measures now apply to a total of 223 individuals and 37 entities.

They consist of an asset freeze, a travel ban to the European Union, and a prohibition to make funds or economic resources available to those listed.