BIARRITZ, France — A senior French official says France invited Iran’s foreign minister to the venue of the G-7 summit to try to ease tensions over its nuclear program.
The official says the decision to invite Mohammed Javad Zarif on Sunday to the Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, came after the G-7 leaders, including US President Donald Trump, gathered for dinner Saturday night.
Asked whether the White House was aware of the visit, the French official says “we operate on our own terms” but notes that Macron and Trump met for two hours yesterday and discussed Iran at length, as well as at the group dinner with other leaders.
The French official, who is not authorized to be named publicly, says that France considers it important to check in with Zarif to continue to bring positions closer together and de-escalate tensions.
The official says the Americans in Biarritz will not meet with Zarif, and that France “is working in full transparency with the US and in full transparency with European partners.”
— AP
The airplane which carried Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is seen on the tarmac at the airport in the seaside resort of Biarritz, southwest France, during the G-7 summit in Biarritz, on August 25, 2019. (Georges Gobet/AFP)
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 25, 2019
