“Met Emmanuel Macron on sidelines of G7 [summit in] Biarritz after extensive talks with LeDrian & Finance Min. followed by a joint briefing for UK/Germany,” Zarif tweeted following the talks.
The Iranian diplomat made a surprise visit to France while the leaders of seven developed, industrial countries, also known as the G7, are meeting in the French city of Biarritz.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said earlier on Sunday that Zarif’s trip and talks on the G7 sidelines took place at the invitation of his French counterpart Jean Yves Le Drian.
He said Zarif traveled to France to further study Paris’ proposals about the nuclear deal (JCPOA) that were discussed between Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani over past months.
There will be no meetings between Zarif and US President Donald Trump, according to the spokesman.
White House sanctioned the Iranian foreign minister early August for “implementing the agenda of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei”.
“Road ahead is difficult. But worth trying,” warned Zarif in the same tweet.
Iran has long been saying that it wants to sell its oil, urging the Europe to stand up against the US unilateral sanctions.
Washington ended oil waivers in April for several countries that used to buy the Iranian crude following its reimposed sanctions that took effect in October last year.
France has been trying to defuse tensions between Iran and the US that left the nuclear deal in May 2018 and reimposed punitive measures on Tehran.
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