Biarritz (France) Aug 26 (IANS) French President Emmanuel Macron has held a “positive” meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, an Elysee Palace source said.
The Iranian official is visiting the southwestern French town of Biarritz, where he is expected to engage in new discussions with various European officials on the sidelines of the ongoing G7 summit, the source said on Sunday.
Germany and UK, also signatories to the nuclear deal struck with Iran designed to keep it from developing nuclear weapons, have been “associated” with the meetings with Zarif, Efe news reported citing the source.
US President Donald Trump – long at odds with the Iranians – was previously notified of Zarif’s visit, the source added.
“Iran’s active diplomacy in pursuit of constructive engagement continues,” Zarif posted to his Twitter account.
“Met Emmanuel Macron on sidelines of #G7Biarritz after extensive talks with (Foreign Minister) JY_LeDrian & Finance Min. (Bruno Le Maire) followed by a joint briefing for UK/Germany,” the tweet read. “Road ahead is difficult. But worth trying.”
German and British diplomats also joined the talks between Zarif and Macron, which lasted for over three hours, but no US representatives participated.
Zarif’s visit came “in coordination with the US,” the source added, without providing more details about the exact time Trump was notified of the Iranian official’s visit.
The US imposed sanctions on Zarif on July 31 for being the “chief spokesman” for the Iranian regime worldwide, a move that, in practice, excluded the Iranian from any hypothetical future dialogue between Washington and Tehran.
–IANS
pgh/