TEHRAN (Iran News) – President Criticizes Tokyo for Refusing Iran Frozen Assets . President Ebrahim Raeisi has censured Japan for refusing to release Iran’s frozen assets in the country’s banks, saying there is no justification for the delay by Tokyo in unfreezing Iran’s assets .
In a Sunday meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Tehran, Raisi stressed the importance of releasing Iran’s foreign exchange resources blocked in Tokyo , emphasizing, “The delay in the release of Iranian assets in the Japanese banks is not justifiable.”
“We expect Japan to act as a friend, particularly when it comes to international law,” Zarif said, referring to the illegal nature of the U.S. sanctions.
In another part of his remarks and in response to the top Japanese diplomat’s statements on the necessity of implementing Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as an international agreement, Raisi said, “Iran has been fulfilled all its obligations as per the JCPOA and it was the Americans who failed to fulfill their obligations and unilaterally left the international deal and extended sanctions” against Tehran.
He added that the Europeans signatories to the JCPOA – Britain, France and Germany – also followed suit with the U.S. and refrained from fulfilling their obligations under the deal, adding, “The Americans must answer to the world public opinion why they did not respect their JCPOA commitment and left the agreement.”
Raisi told the Japanese minister that Iran has no problem with negotiations, asking, “On what grounds U.S. sanctions against the Iranian nation must continue?”
Elsewhere in his talks, the Iranian president pointed to the recent developments in Afghanistan and hailed the efforts made by Japan and other countries in the region to help establish peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported and will support peace and stability in Afghanistan. We believe that the Afghans are the only ones who should be allowed to made decisions for their country,” Raisi stated.
He criticized the interference of foreign powers in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, saying that it only worsened the existing problems.
“The presence of Americans in the region, including Afghanistan, has not only failed to create security, but has given rise to threats. Today, after 20 years [of occupation], Americans are admitting that their presence in Afghanistan was wrong,” he said.
The Iranian president said there is no doubt that the U.S. would also own up to its mistake about its presence in other countries in the region and the Persian Gulf in the near future.
Raisi also said ensuring security of regional and international waters would be in the interest of all countries, emphasizing, “We consider insecurity in the region detrimental to international security.”
He emphasized that if power-seeking is formed in the world, it would not be in the interest of any nation and the region. The bullying attitude of the United States, he added, poses a threat to the independence, freedom and identity of nations and it is a necessity for countries to stem the malady.
The Japanese foreign minister, for his part, said his country has made efforts to establish peace and stability in the region, adding that Tokyo has always supported the JCPOA as an international agreement and believes that its revival is in the interest of all countries and can help solve problems through negotiations.
He expressed concern over the recent developments in Afghanistan.
Motegi said Tokyo supports diplomatic efforts to achieve peace, stability and tranquility in the region and its principled position is based on the settlement of issues through peaceful channels.
