In reaction to the continuation of sporadic border clashes between border guards of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Khatibzadeh expressed sorrow over casualties on both sides, and called on the two countries to exercise restraint, according to a statement the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

In his statement, Khatibzadeh also highlighted the need for a peaceful settlement of border disputes between the two sides.

The spokesman urged Baku and Yerevan to leave behind tensions and conflicts, and underscored the necessity of establishing lasting peace in the south Caucasus region as soon as possible.

He said Iran stands ready to offer any kind of help to both sides to achieve lasting peace.

On Friday night, news media outlets reported the outbreak of clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the Kalbjar region. One Azerbaijani soldier was reported killed and three Armenian soldiers were wounded in the clashes.

On Saturday, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense said the situation on the Kalbajar section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border is stable, according to the Trend news agency. On Friday, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry accused Armenia of firing at the positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on the section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border in Kalbajar district on July 23, as a result of which an Azerbaijani serviceman was killed.

“The Armenian side’s regular recent provocations, the attempts to aggravate the situation in the region by shelling the Azerbaijani positions are unacceptable and Armenia is responsible for the development of such a situation,” the ministry said, according to a Trend report. “Azerbaijan reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its territorial integrity within the international borders, as well as to ensure peace and security in the region.”

On the other side, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of flying a drone into the Armenian airspace. The Armenian Defense Ministry told Armenpress that on July 23, at around 23:00, the air defense units of the Armenian armed forces took actions to prevent the attempt by an Azerbaijani UAV to enter into Armenia’s airspace in the south-western direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Armenpress also reported that the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire at the Armenian positions in the Gegharkunik section of the border on July 23 at about 17:00.

“The shootings in the direction of the Armenian side took place after shootings in their own territory, which can be explained as an interpersonal incident.  This is also evidenced by the fact that the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense informs in its press release that an Azerbaijani serviceman died as a result of the shootings from the Armenian side. The Defense Ministry of Armenia stated that the Armenian side did not take any action until the moment that the Azerbaijani side started to shoot in the direction of the Armenian border guards. As a result of the intensive shooting caused by another Azerbaijani provocation, 3 Armenian servicemen received slight injuries. They have been transported to a hospital in Gegharkunik province,” Armenpress said.

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In a statement on Saturday, Khatibzadeh said there is no insecurity along Iran’s borders with Afghanistan thanks to the efforts of Iranian border guards.

“Thanks to the efforts of our zealous border guards, the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran are secure and peaceful, and there is no insecurity along our country’s borders with Afghanistan,” Khatibzadeh said in response to a question about the situation of Iran’s borders and border crossings with Afghanistan following the recent developments along the borders.

“Considering the clashes that erupted at Islam-Qala and Abu Nasr Farahi customs facilities inside the Afghan territory, a number of Afghan staff members entered into the Iranian soil,” the spokesman said.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will take the necessary measures according to the rules and regulations and based on its border agreements with Afghanistan and within the framework of good neighborliness principle,” he added.

The Taliban has attacked the Afghan government’s positions along the Iran-Afghanistan borders, taking control of at least two border crossings. The group’s advances pushed some Afghan government forces to flee to Iran.

The Afghan government has called on Iran to make arrangements for the return of its border troops to Kabul, and by accepting this request, Iran is preparing a direct flight to Kabul to return the troops, according to Nour News.

Citing a source in the Iranian armed forces, the news website said that the Afghan government has asked Tehran for help in returning its border guards, who took refuge in Iran on Thursday following a Taliban attack on the Islam Qala border crossing.

“Kabul officials have called on Iran to make arrangements for the return of the troops to Kabul, and Iran is preparing a direct flight to Kabul to repatriate the troops, given its humanitarian approach,” the source said.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, meanwhile, hosted a meeting of delegations from the parties involved in Afghanistan on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss issues between them, which ended with a joint statement.

Tehran, with the support of the legitimate government of Afghanistan, has always called for the warring parties to avoid unrest and war, and has done its utmost to resolve the country’s problems through political dialogue between Afghan groups.

The first round of intra-Afghan talks among the heads of delegations representing the Taliban group and prominent figures supporting the Republic system in Afghanistan wrapped up in Tehran with a speech by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and a six-article communique.

In his speech at the final meeting of the first round of intra-Afghan talks in Tehran, which was held at the Foreign Ministry’s Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), Foreign Minister Zarif thanked both delegations for giving priority to the peace, convenience and welfare of the Afghan people in their talks, according to a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

“Courage in peace is more important than courage in war, because peace needs sacrifice and forgiveness, needs ignoring one’s maximal demands, and paying attention to the other side’s demands, especially in these talks where there is no other side, and both sides are brothers seeking peace and calm for the Afghan nation,” Zarif said.

The Iranian foreign minister said a nation that has been in pain and suffering for forty years has every right to be opposed to war.

“What I ask you is that use this opportunity and end the war in Afghanistan as soon as possible, and provide the Afghan people with the chance to develop,” he added.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is always ready to facilitate your talks in any way you prefer,” Zarif noted.

Before the Iranian foreign minister’s speech at the conclusion of talks, Yunus Qanuni as the representative of the delegation of those supporting the Republic system and Abbas Stanikzai as the representative of the Taliban delegation expressed their views about the Tehran summit.

In their comments, the two representatives supported the other side’s round-up of the peace talks.

Iranian diplomatic efforts were welcomed by neighboring Pakistan, which also shares some of Iran’s concerns about Afghanistan. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said, “We welcome Iran’s engagement with Afghan parties so that a political solution can be reached through dialogue.”

In response to media questions about the visit of Taliban and Afghan government delegations to Tehran, he said, “Pakistan considers Tehran’s role in the Afghan peace process important.”

According to Chaudhri, Iran, like Pakistan, is Afghanistan’s neighbor and hosts millions of Afghan refugees.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed hope that the Afghan parties would seize this opportunity to reach a collective, comprehensive political solution.

Last week, Iranian President-elect Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke by phone discussing the recent developments in neighboring Afghanistan.

During the phone conversation, which came at the initiative of the Pakistani prime minister, Imran Khan voiced concern over the conflict in Afghanistan.

“In the regional context, the PM expressed concern at the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, & cautioned that the latest developments could lead to serious repercussions for both Pakistan & Iran, resulting in an influx of refugees towards the bordering areas of the two countries. Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly underscored the imperative of a negotiated political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. Both sides emphasized the need to continue facilitating an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive political settlement,” according to a statement put out by the premier office.

Imran Khan also was quoted by Iranian media as saying, “we are concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and its involvement in a longstanding war.”

He described the political solution as the best solution to Afghanistan but said it is difficult to achieve this solution in the current situation.

Ayatollah Raisi also expressed concern over the situation in Afghanistan and said, “Afghanistan’s security is important to us and this security must be established by Afghans.”

Afghanistan has become an issue of concern for both Tehran and Islamabad as the conflict there worsened in the wake of foreign troops’ withdrawal. In recent weeks, Iran has intensified its diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in war-torn Afghanistan. To this end, a number of Iranian diplomats traveled to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In late June, the Iranian foreign minister’s special envoy for Afghanistan traveled to Kabul and left the Afghan capital for Islamabad for talks with Pakistani officials on the latest security developments in Afghanistan and then returned to Kabul again to resume his meetings with the country’s political and defense officials.

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In a tweet on Wednesday morning, Seyed Rasoul Mousavi, the head of the South Asia Department at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, announced that Tehran is hosting four delegations, including representatives of the Afghan government and parliament, the Taliban group and prominent figures supporting the Republic system in the war-torn country.

Taliban’s spokesman Mohammed Naeem Wardak also said via Twitter that the militant group’s trip to Tehran comes at the official invitation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He said Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the head of Taliban’s political office in Qatar’s Doha, leads the delegation to Tehran.

Meanwhile, the government’s delegation is headed by former Vice President of Afghanistan Yunus Qanuni.

During his address at the beginning of the talks, Zarif pointed to the United States’ defeat in establishing peace in Afghanistan, saying the US military’s more than two decades of presence on Afghan soil has led to widespread destruction in the country.

“The United States has failed in Afghanistan…and its presence in the country for more than two decades has caused major damage in Afghanistan,” said Zarif. “Today, the people and political leaders of Afghanistan must take difficult decisions for the future of their country.”

He warned against the dire consequences of ongoing disputes in Afghanistan and said returning to the intra-Afghan negotiating table with a commitment to political solutions is the best option for the country’s leaders and political movements.

Zarif said the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to help advance the process of talks between Afghanistan’s factions in order to resolve the conflicts and crises in that country.

The Taliban say they will present a written peace proposal to the Afghan government as soon as next month even though they have gained the “upper hand on the battlefield” in recent weeks.

The chief Iranian diplomat also underscored Iran’s commitment to contributing to Afghanistan’s all-out political, economic and social development after the establishment of peace there.

Iran recent months, Iran has repeatedly voiced its support for measures aimed at establishing peace in Afghanistan.

Last week, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh underlined the necessity for an inclusive government that would involve all Afghan groups in Afghanistan, saying the Taliban represents only a part of Afghanistan, not the whole present and future status of the country.

Speaking at his weekly press conference on June 28, Khatibzadeh noted that Iran is closely and seriously monitoring the situation in Afghanistan at the high security and political levels and is negotiating with all Afghan groups.

Tehran’s peace efforts follow the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces last week from the largest military base in Afghanistan, located in the ancient city of Bagram, about 45 miles north of Kabul.

On Friday, the Taliban said it considers the U.S. withdrawal a “positive step” to get closer to peace and stability.

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Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, announced that extending Iran’s cooperation deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency is one of the country’s options a day after top Iranian negotiator signaled a readiness to extend the deal.

Khatibzadeh was referring to a February deal between Iran and the IAEA which allowed the latter to continue its monitoring activities in Iran ahead of the implementation of a parliamentary nuclear law obligating the Iranian government to strictly restrict cooperation with the IAEA in case the West failed to lift sanctions.

The deal was reached during a two-day visit by IAEA Director-General Mariano Grossi to Iran. During the visit, Grossi met with Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The AEOI issued a joint statement outlining the content of the understanding moments after Grossi concluded his visit to Iran.

“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency recalled and reaffirmed the spirit of cooperation and enhanced mutual trust that led to the Joint Statement in Tehran on 26 August 2020, and the importance of continuing that cooperation and trust,” the statement said. “The AEOI informed the IAEA that in order to comply with the act passed by the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran called ‘Strategic Action to Cease Actions and Protect the interest of Iranian Nation’ Iran will stop the implementation of the voluntary measures as envisaged in the JCPOA, as of 23 February 2021.”

The statement added, “In view of the above and in order for the Agency to continue its verification and monitoring activities, the AEOI and the IAEA agreed: 1. That Iran continues to implement fully and without limitation its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA as before. 2. To a temporary bilateral technical understanding, compatible with the Law, whereby the IAEA will continue with its necessary verification and monitoring activities for up to 3 months (as per technical annex). 3. To keep the technical understanding under regular review to ensure it continues to achieve its purposes.”

On Sunday, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who is leading Iran’s negotiating team in Vienna, said the deal may be extended.

He told Japanese broadcaster NHK that Iran hopes enough progress will be made so that there will be no need for an extension. But he said that if needed, Iran will consider an extension at a proper time.

Khatibzadeh elaborated on Araghchi’s comments, underlining that what Araghchi said was that the parliamentary nuclear law was binding and it will expire on May 30.

The nuclear law stipulates that the Iranian government should take certain nuclear measures such as raising the level of uranium enrichment to 20% and suspending the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol if the Western parties failed to honor their obligations under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran’s deal with the IAEA came a few days before the law came into force.
Speaking at his Monday press conference, Khatibzadeh said, “What Dr. Araghchi said in the interview with NHK is that the law of the parliament is binding and the date of May 30 regarding the agreement between Iran and the IAEA is definitive.”

The spokesman said Iran is not in a hurry to reach a conclusion in the Vienna talks but at the same time it seeks to prevent them from becoming draining.
“We do not want any date to prevent Tehran’s executive instructions from being strictly implemented for the negotiating team,” he pointed out. “In this interview, Dr. Araghchi pointed to only one of the choices for the date of May 21. If the talks are on the right track, with the coordination of both parties and Tehran’s approval, this date can be extended.”

Khatibzadeh said the decision regarding the extension of the February deal will not be made by the Iranian negotiating team. Instead, it will be made in Tehran.

“The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the technical talks in Vienna is quite clear, the negotiating team acts within the framework of the high policies of the establishment and the executive instructions of Tehran, and sends reports to the relevant authorities on a daily basis,” he continued.

The spokesman also reacted to comments by American officials that they would lift only JCPOA-related sanctions.

“Tehran made its decision in 2014 and still abides by the same decision to this day. Regarding the new round of technical talks, Tehran has again made it clear that if all sanctions are lifted and Iran’s interest in lifting the sanctions is verified, Iran will certainly fulfill all its obligations under the JCPOA,” Khatibzadeh said, noting that the U.S. has not yet made such a decision and it still looks forward to continuing the ominous legacy the Trump administration.

“This is a decision that Washington has not made and still has its heart set on the poisonous legacy of the previous U.S. administration and the Trump administration. The Biden government must decide whether it still wants to have its heart set on the failed legacy of ‘maximum pressure’, or it wants to distance itself from it and return to its obligations under Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA,” the spokesman stated.

He added, “It is not a difficult decision for Washington if it can agree to abide by international law and its own signature. We look forward to the day when Washington makes that decision. The return of the United States to the JCPOA is entirely up to the United States itself. It will be one hundred percent based on the will and action of the United States. We will wait to see this action and verify it.”

Khatibzadeh also answered questions on Araghchi’s comments that the U.S. has agreed to lift a large portion of sanctions.

“The talks in Vienna have entered the phase of drafting texts in the field of sanctions lifting and nuclear measures. Besides, a third working group whose work is being pursued more calmly is working. It is wrestling with different details, and these fluidities and details do not allow us to make public announcements, because the talks are going on and reach a different conclusion every day,” Khatibzadeh stated.

He also said that as part of its commitments, the United States has accepted much of what it ought to do. Khatibzadeh said there are also some sanctions that the U.S. is not willing to lift, but Iran has made it clear that these sanctions were imposed to destroy the JCPOA and prevent Iran from reaping benefits from the JCPOA and thus must be removed.

“It is no secret that we have serious differences in this area. We are in talks with the Joint Commission of JCPOA and Tehran is examining this issue. Reports are reviewed in Tehran, and the positions are notified to the negotiating team every day, and they follow up,” he noted.

There are disagreements between the U.S. and Iran over which sanctions should be removed. The U.S. wants to keep some sanctions in place to use them as leverage to expand talks beyond the JCPOA, something that Iran has vehemently rejected. The sanctions have been put into three baskets — green, yellow, and red, depending on how clearly they are inconsistent with the deal. Green will be lifted; yellow must be negotiated; and red will stay, according to The New York Times. The current disagreements revolve around the yellow category, which apparently includes sanctions imposed under terrorism authorities.

Khatibzadeh said Iran will not accept talks beyond the JCPOA.

“What should be suspended or removed is listed in the JCPOA. We are not negotiating again for a new text in the JCPOA. We do not accept JCPOA Plus or JCPOA Minus. What was written and negotiated in the JCPOA is the same path that we followed decisively in the Vienna talks, and it is natural that all our differences are about the implementation of U.S. actions in the effective lifting of all sanctions, not the lifting of sanctions on paper,” he asserted.

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Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Saeed Khatibzadeh made it clear that no new agreement would be brought into being in parallel with the 2015 nuclear deal.

He said the JCPOA Joint Commission has convened in Vienna to discuss ways for the violator of the deal to rejoin the agreement.

The spokesman reiterated that the US must honor its JCPOA commitments and lift the sanctions in a verifiable manner before being allowed to take part in the JCPOA Joint Commission meetings.

“The US is behind the doors of the JCPOA and the Joint Commission for now,” Khatibzadeh added.

He further noted that the JCPOA consultations will go on more easily if the administration of US President Joe Biden decides to distance itself from the failed legacy of Donald Trump and fulfill its obligations.

The spokesman also denied any direct or indirect talks between Iran and the US in Vienna, emphasizing that Tehran’s remedial measures that are within the framework of the JCPOA will halt after it verifies that the US sanctions are terminated.

In remarks on Wednesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei warned against protracted talks with the participant parties to the JCPOA, namely France, the UK, Germany, Russia and China, saying he has directed Iranian negotiators to proceed with the talks for now.

“The fact that the Americans talk about engaging in direct and indirect negotiations (with Iran) is not because they want to negotiate to accept the truth, rather they want to negotiate to impose their wrongful argument” on Iran, the Leader warned.

Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the JCPOA in 2018 and imposed harsh economic sanctions on Iran. He called his anti-Iran moves the “maximum pressure” policy.

Iran fully honored its nuclear commitments under the deal for an entire year, but it began to scale down its commitments on May 8, 2019. The decision was made as part of Iran’s right under Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA in response to the breach of the agreement by the other side.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Iran always welcomes talks with Saudi officials, considering it to be in the interest of the people of the two countries and the region.

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Khatibzadeh made the remarks in reaction to the recent developments in Jordan.

Stressing the importance of peace and stability in Jordan, he said that any tension and internal instability in western Asia is in favor of the Zionist regime.

He added that the footprints of the Zionist regime are always seen in these seditions.

On Saturday evening, Jordan News Agency (Petra) wrote that Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, the previous crown prince of Jordan, was taken into custody along with 20 other people for what was called threatening the country’s security.

The special connection of some of the arrestees with Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman strengthens the possibility of Riyadh interference in the issue.

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Addressing some rumors about Iran’s positive signals to the West for negotiations, he said “What is going on in this area about the JCPOA is very sensitive.”

“We had close talks with the remaining parties in the deal. Of course, we did not have a dialogue about the JCPOA with the Americans,” he explained.

“Iran has not received a step-by-step plan for the JCPOA and does not consider such a plan in accordance with its policies.”

Regarding Iran’s blocked money in Iraq, he said: “The Iraqi government has always tried to pay its debts to Iran, but there have been sanctions in the meantime.” For several months now, the path of payment of these debts has been discussed between the Central Bank of Iran and the Iraqi parties, some of which have reached a conclusion and are moving forward in their own path and channels.” “Of course, good progress has been made in this area,” he added.

Khatibzadeh, referring to President Rouhani’s telephone conversation with the Iraqi PM, noting, “In this conversation, important issues have been raised, including the need for the withdrawal of foreign troops in accordance with the law of the Iraqi parliament.”

“This law is not limited to one foreign country’s force,” he noted.

Referring to the developments in Yemen, Khatibzadeh said Iran is “really worried about the tragic crisis inside Yemen. Today, millions of Yemenis are in dire need of healthy food and potable water, and this is a shameful situation that is happening inside Yemen.”

He added: “In the last six years, Iran has always emphasized that a ceasefire must take place with humanitarian access and the lifting of the siege.”

“Saudi Arabia must end this unequal war as soon as possible because it will create better days for itself and the region,” he reiterated.

“The Yemeni people have the right to self-defense, but the only way to resolve the Yemeni issue is through dialogue and a political solution,” he said, “The Yemeni National Salvation Government has repeatedly emphasized this issue.”

Talking about Ansarullah Yemen’s attacks on Saudi oil facilities, he said: “The root of what is happening in Yemen is six-year aggression and blatant oppression of several million Yemenis. Today, blind bombings are taking place in different parts of Yemen.”

“What we see as the outbreak of this war has roots, and we must pay attention to these roots. As soon as Saudi Arabia ends the war and ends the siege, it will certainly help the implementation of the UN initiatives and diplomatic solutions.”

In response to a question as to whether Iran has been invited to a meeting on Afghanistan at the United Nations, he said “We have not yet received an invitation.”

Responding to question regarding the Irish Foreign Minister’s talks with Iranian officials and the fact that it is said that a positive pulse was sent by Iran to the United States during these meetings, he said: “The issue of Iran and the United States is not a pulse and signal but a matter of effective implementation of Resolution 2231. Such issues do not need to send a pulse.”

In response to a question about whether the Irish Foreign Minister during his visit to Tehran did not speak about the implementation of European JCPOA obligations, Khatibzadeh said “Europe has not done its homework.”

Asked if $3 billion had been allegedly released from Iranian assets in South Korea, he said: “We have not yet seen any practical action in this regard and today we are waiting for practical action from the South Korean government.”

In response to a question about some of the statements made by British officials about Nazanin Zaghari, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said: “The hypocritical remarks of the British former Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, do not cover his troublemaking remarks and acts in the past few years and he knows better if did not commit such destructive actions  what happened today would happen a few years ago.”

“No Direct or Indirect Contact With U.S.”

“The British government should be aware that the case of Iranians who were unjustly arrested in Britain without a court order and kept in the worst possible condition is still open in Iran,” he underscored.

Responding to a question about the U.S. Secretary of State’s claims that Iran was working to make its nuclear program more dangerous, Khatibzadeh said it is the U.S. who is driving the wrong side not Iran.

Considering the imposed sanctions on Iran by the U.S., he said “The United States must know that the Iranian people will never forget the crimes of the United States today. To date, the Biden administration has taken the same path as the Trump administration.”

“After the withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA, Europe made 11 definite commitments to Iran, none of which were fulfilled,” he said, “Europe, along with the United States, has not lived up to many of its commitments to remove the anti-Iranian sanction.”

He underlined Iran’s support for diplomacy and diplomatic solutions, as well. “The Americans have not yet taken the first step, and the illegal sanctions have not been lifted, even on paper,” he said answering the question “If the United States announced today that it wanted to return to the UN Security Council and that negotiations were needed for its return, would Iran not accept the talks?”

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In February, Khatibzadeh had told reporters about consultations with Taliban leaders in Tehran and the reason why the consultations could not be effective to de-escalate tensions in Afghanistan, making clear that the visit was made upon the Afghan Government’s permission aiming to help narrow the gap in intra-Afghan talks.

Previously, in response to questions about how Tehran interacts with Washington in the nuclear talks, Khatibzadeh stressed that a diplomatic solution is the best possible option.

Emphasizing that the foreign policy apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran interacts with the parties present at the nuclear negotiating table in the most appropriate way possible, he said there is no need for negotiations to return the United States to the nuclear agreement.

Khatibzadeh went on to point out that there has been no (positive) change in Washington’s attitude towards Iran, adding that first, the United States must return to the nuclear deal, then it can come to the negotiating table.

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Libyan interim executive council was formed following political talks of the Libyan parties in Geneva.

He said, “We hope Libya’s transitional executive council will provide stability and prosperity, growth and progress in Libya based on sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and away from foreign intervention.”

Members of The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum cast votes Friday in Geneva to select the heads of the Libyan interim executive authority that will lead the North African nation before elections in December.

Libya’s High Council of State and Libyan politicians welcomed recent political developments Friday as the North African country elected an interim president and prime minister to govern the country until elections in December.

“We welcome the conclusions of the Geneva talks on the restructuring of the Libyan executive authority under the auspices of the UN Libya Support Mission (UNSMIL),” the Council said in a statement.

The Council urged the new executive to ensure security and stability and create suitable conditions for a constitutional referendum, presidential elections, and legislative functions.

Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj congratulated the success of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) in the election of the new executive authority.

“I congratulate the winning list on this day in which democracy was most evident,” Libya’s Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha said on Twitter. He wished the new authority success in its works.

Libyan Defense Minister Salahuddin Al-Namroush said he supports the new authority in implementing the expected changes in political and economic matters.

The leader of Justice and Construction Party Mohamed Souwan offered congratulations to the new executive authority and Libyans. He wished the government success in the next stages.

Earlier Friday, Mohammad Younes Menfi was elected president of the interim government and Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah prime minister in the Presidency Council during voting at an unnamed location in Switzerland not far from Geneva.

The voting took place under the LPDF and choose a three-person Presidency Council for the interim government during a five-day meeting spearheaded by the UN Support Mission in Libya.

Menfi’s ticket garnered 39 votes to 34 of the second group in a second round of voting Friday with 30% of the elected positions going to women.

The winning list included Menfi, Mossa Al-Koni, Abdullah Hussein Al-Lafi, and Dbeibah.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of Gaddafi in 2011.

Based in the capital Tripoli and currently led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, the Government of National Accord was founded in 2015 under an UN-led agreement. But efforts for a long-term political settlement have failed due to a military offensive by militias loyal to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar.

Al-Sarraj’s internationally recognized government has been battling Haftar’s militias since April 2019 in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.

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