“It is not important at all what is said inside the election campaigns in the US. Our criterion is the (UNSC) Resolution (2231) and the JCPOA,” Saeed Khatibzadeh told Tasnim at a press conference on Monday, when asked about the reports that the election campaign of US Democratic candidate Joe Biden has cited a change in the timing of the JCPOA articles after the US’ withdrawal from the deal.

Trump has pulled the US out of the JCPOA and has brazenly displayed his signature on the withdrawal order, the spokesman deplored. “It does not make much difference which party takes the power (in the US). If the US intends to return to the correct path, the road is clear.”

Washington must admit to making a mistake, stop the economic war and terrorism against Iran, return to its JCPOA commitments, and make up for the damages caused by its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, the Iranian spokesman added.

In remarks in September, Iran’s permanent representative and ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi said it does not matter to the Islamic Republic who wins the US presidential election as long as Washington has not shifted its unlawful policy of sanctions.

In July, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said no matter who wins the 2020 presidential election in the US, the next American administration must compensate the Islamic Republic for the losses that its predecessor has inflicted on the Iranian people.

“It is not important for us who will win the upcoming election in the US, but it is important for us to see Washington rectify its approach towards Tehran,” Zarif said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Iranian spokesman described the Saudi claim as “a rehash of old accusations”.

“The recent accusations levelled by Saudi officials against the Islamic Republic of Iran are in line with the country’s invalid and repetitive positions over the past years,” he said.

“By abandoning political wisdom, and, this time, in the form of a threadbare show, Saudi rulers have fabricated a false case against Iran as a ploy to deflect public attention in order to cover up its own failed moves.

“The Saudi rulers’ move to hurl hackneyed, cliché and worthless accusations (against Iran) is not a path that would help the Arab country achieve its goals,” Khatibzadeh added.

“We recommend Saudi Arabia opt for the path of honesty and wisdom rather than playing out worthless and dictated scenarios,” the Iranian spokesperson underlined.

His comments came after Saudi Arabia said it has taken down a “terrorist cell”, alleging that the group had received training from Iran.

The spokesman for the presidency of state security said in a statement published on the state-run Saudi Press Agency on Monday that three of the 10 people arrested had been trained in Iran while the rest were “linked to the cell in various roles”.

In a statement on Wednesday, Saeed Khatibzadeh expressed sympathy with the Afghan nation and government over the recent flooding in some parts of the country, which resulted in casualties and material damages.

Heavy flooding in northern and eastern Afghanistan has killed at least 100 people.

Summer often brings heavy rainfall in northern and eastern Afghanistan, leading to floods that leave hundreds dead every year.

Earlier this month, 16 people, including 15 children, were killed and dozens of houses destroyed when flash floods hit a village in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

In a statement on Monday, Saeed Khatibzadeh denounced the terrorist attack in Jolo town south of the Philippines that killed and wounded a number of innocent citizens.

The Iranian spokesperson also expressed sympathy with the Filipino government and nation, and the bereaved families of victims of the terrorist attack.

At least 14 people were killed and dozens wounded, including soldiers and police, in a twin bombing involving a suicide attacker on an island in southern Sulu province of the Philippines.

Military officials say the militants allied with the Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group set off a powerful motorcycle explosive followed by a suicide bombing that killed people in the worst extremist attack in the Philippines this year.

At least 75 soldiers, police and civilians were wounded in the midday bombings.

In a statement on Monday, Saeed Khatibzadeh rejected as baseless the allegations that the US state secretary has made against Iran on delivering weapons to the Taliban, saying, “What is going on in Afghanistan today is the result of the US’ warmongering acts and interference in the affairs of Afghanistan.”

“The accusations leveled by the state secretary of the United States is sort of shifting the blame onto others and an attempt to divert public opinion of the Afghan people from Washington’s assistance to Daesh (ISIS),” Khatibzadeh added.

“The US has not still given the public opinion an explanation for the nature of the helicopters flying in the airspace of Afghanistan under the control of NATO for supporting Daesh,” he added.

His comments came after US State Secretary Mike Pompeo accused Iran and Russia of arming the Taliban.

“We’ve made clear we know the history, we know that the Russians have armed the Taliban in the past, right. We know that the Iranians continue to arm them today. So we know these facts,” Pompeo claimed in an interview with Radio Free Europe.

In a ceremony held at the Foreign Ministry on Sunday morning, attended by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the new spokesperson officially took up the post.

Khatibzadeh has replaced Seyed Abbas Mousavi, who is leaving for Baku as Iran’s new ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Known as the 12th and the youngest Foreign Ministry spokesperson after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Khatibzadeh has the experience of diplomatic activities for 21 years.

The new spokesman was deputy director for research and studies at the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), has the experience of working in many positions at the Foreign Ministry, and has worked as a diplomat in Canada and Germany.

Khatibzadeh has had great achievements in think tanks and public diplomacy studies, has been a keynote speaker in many international events, and is the author of several best-selling books about diplomacy and foreign relations.