TEHRAN, Dec 15 (NNN-IRNA) – Spokesman for Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), played down the likelihood of restoration of diplomatic ties with the United States, through prisoner swap.
Keyvan Khosravi, spokesman for SNSC, said, prisoner swap between Iran and the U.S. is not the start of “any new path” for mutual negotiations.
Khosravi’s comments came, as Brian Hook, U.S. special representative for Iran, said, recent prisoner exchange will lead to a broader discussion on consular affairs between the U.S. and Iran.
“Prisoner swap was done without holding any negotiations (with the U.S.), and it is done based on Iran’s humanitarian approach,” Khosravi said, adding that, “its not the start of any new path, but it is an end to the difficult situation of innocent people, who have been incarcerated by the U.S. international banditry.”
Last Saturday, Iran and the United States exchanged two prisoners – a detained American, on spying charges, for an imprisoned Iranian researcher, for violating Iran sanctions.
