TEHRAN – On Tuesday, the government spokesman branded it as “unrealistic guessing” to say the government is inclined to a specific figure to take the influential parliament speaker seat.

“These analyses are unrealistic guessing because it is up to MPs to decide,” Mohammad-Baqer Nobakht said.
There has been an ongoing debate over who will take the helm in the upcoming parliament after the reformist Mohammad Reza Aref took the lead in Tehran.

The dual, people familiar with the matter say, will be between the incumbent Ali Larijani and Aref.

Expectations of JCPOA impact are incommensurate

He also said Iran is increasingly reaping the outcomes of the JCPOA, recommending commensurate expectations of the deal.

“We are yet to benefit from the outcomes of the JCPOA, though we are increasingly reaping the outcomes,” Nobakht told a weekly press briefing.

The spokesman’s statement comes in reaction to voices from the opponent camp who constantly keep rapping the pact for not resulting in tangible changes.

“The JCPOA is only one of our divergences with world powers,” Nobakht highlighted.

On the outcomes of the JCPOA, Nobakht said aside from the removal of sanctions, Tehran has hosted 8 presidents, 5 prime ministers, 3 parliament speakers, and 14 foreign ministers since the deal went into effect in January.

“We have been in talks with 12 international banks and institutions to use credit lines worth $73 billion and investment permits for 41 projects worth $3.418 billion have been issued,” the spokesman reminded.

Iran insists on safe Hajj pilgrimage

On this year’s hajj pilgrimage, Nobakht said, “We (Iran) insist on a safe and dignified Hajj and do our utmost to pave the way for such hajj as it is not unlikely that Saudis may show no respect to our pilgrims.”

Thus far, he added, Saudis has already stonewalled the hajj negotiations, shunning their international and humanitarian responsibilities. 

Tehran and Riyadh have so far failed to reach an agreement on this year’s pilgrimage after more than 400 Iranian pilgrims lost their lives in the Mena stampede.

U.S. $2b-ruling in focus

On measures taken by the government to nullify U.S. High Court ruling, the spokesman remarked, “At president’s instruction, a team has been tasked to defend rights of the Iranian nation.”

Nobakht stressed that the problem could have been avoided, if right decisions had been made.

Some Iranian media outlets have traced the dossier to the Ahmadinejad administration.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that almost $2 billion of Iran’s assets had to be turned over to the American families of the people killed in a 1983 bombing in Beirut and other attacks baselessly blamed on Iran.

AK/PA