Iran’s Zarif is a surprise arrival at G-7 in Biarritz
Will meet Macron, but no talks likely with Trump
Biarritz (France), Aug. 25: Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif flew into Biarritz in southwestern France for the G-7 summit on Sunday in an unexpected and dramatic attempt to break a diplomatic deadlock over Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme.
Mr Zarif’s presence had not been announced and represented a risky attempt by French host Emmanuel Macron to find a way to soothe spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States.
He was not expected to hold face-to-face talks with US President Donald Trump, but the presence of the two men in the same place sparked hopes of a detente.
Mr Zarif will “continue talks regarding the recent measures between the Presidents of Iran and France,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi tweeted, after flight tracking sites spotted that Mr Zarif’s
◗ The Iran leader’s presence had not been announced and represented a risky attempt by Prez Macron to find a way to soothe spiralling tensions between Iran & US
plane had landed in Biarritz.
The French presidency confirmed his arrival, but emphasised no talks were planned with the American side.
A French diplomat also suggested — without confirming — that Mr Trump
had been made aware of the arrival during an impromptu two-hour lunch with Mr Macron on a hotel terrace on Saturday.
"We work with full transparency with the Americans," the diplomat told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Also speaking in Biarritz, US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Mr Trump had in the past said that if Iran "wants to sit down and negotiate he will not set preconditions".
Mr Macron held talks with Zarif in Paris on the eve of the G-7 summit and has been leading efforts to bring Tehran and Washington back to the negotiating table.
Mr Trump's policy of applying "maximum pressure" on Tehran via crippling sanctions has been criticised by European powers and is seen as raising the risk of conflict in the West Asia.
Mr Macron has urged the US administration to offer some sort of relief to Iran, such as lifting sanctions on oil sales to China and India, or a new credit line to enable exports.
"To start this approach we need President Trump to agree with the idea that we need to make a pause (in the "maximum pressure" policy)," a French diplomat told reporters last week.