Biarritz, August 26: Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday made a surprise visit to France’s Biarritz city and held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
G7 nations – Canada, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK), Germany, France, and the United States, are holding an international summit in the French city of Biarritz to discuss wide-range issues including, climate change, global trade, Iranian aggression, and nuclear programme.
Zarif has held three-and-a-half-hour talks with Jean Yves Le Drian, the foreign minister of France, according to Reuters news reports.
In a tweet, the Iranian foreign minister said: “Iran’s active diplomacy in pursuit of constructive engagement continues,” Zarif said in a post on social media. “Road ahead is difficult. But worth trying.”
Iran's active diplomacy in pursuit of constructive engagement continues.
Met @EmmanuelMacron on sidelines of #G7Biarritz after extensive talks with @JY_LeDrian & Finance Min. followed by a joint briefing for UK/Germany.
Road ahead is difficult. But worth trying. pic.twitter.com/oXdACvt20T
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) August 25, 2019
The discussions held between Macron and Zarif were “positive, the French presidential office told AFP news agency.
Macron conveyed his invitation to Zarif for Biarritz G7 summit after hosting a dinner on Saturday night for the summit nations’ leaders, a French official informed AFP. The official added the invitation had been made “in agreement with the United States”, further contradicting the White House claim President Donald Trump hadn’t been informed about Zarif’s arrival.
According to AFP and Reuters, France has been urging Trump to de-escalate tensions with Iran such as lifting sanctions imposed on Iranian crude oil sales to India and China.