Kerry holds Iran talks with Iran FM
John Kerry held a meeting with Iranian FM to discuss steps to implement the Iran nuclear deal.
UNITED NATIONS (Agencies) - US Secretary of State John Kerry held an impromptu meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in New York on Friday to discuss steps to implement the Iran nuclear deal.
The meeting was scheduled at the last minute after a week of intense diplomacy on the Syria crisis.
US officials did not provide details, saying only that the talks focused on implementing the historic deal reached in July to curb Iran s nuclear program.
The United States has sought to enlist Iran in trying to find a way forward on the Syria crisis after Russia launched its air war.
The two officials met in New York on Friday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting, the State Department said in a statement.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said the two were "taking advantage of their presence in New York before they both departed."
They discussed steps to implement the Iran nuclear accord reached between Tehran and the 5+1 group - the US, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany - in Vienna on July 14.
On Monday, the foreign ministers of Iran and the P5+1 countries met in New York and underlined the need for the removal of potential obstacles in the way of implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The two sides reviewed the preliminary measures related to the implementation of the JCPOA both on the issue of the removal of the anti-Iran sanctions and the country’s nuclear activities, according to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, who was present in the meeting.
Araqchi said that the officials voiced satisfaction with the fact that the P5+1 countries have completed the legal procedures regarding the implementation of the JCPOA, and expressed hope that the implementation of the accord will begin with the completion of the Iranian Parliament (Majlis)’s review of it.
On July 20, the UN Security Council unanimously endorsed a draft resolution turning the JCPOA into international law. All 15 members of the UN body voted for the draft resolution in New York.
The JCPOA will allow the removal of all economic and financial bans against the Islamic Republic, but will limit Iran’s nuclear activities.
