Iranian Top Diplomat, UN Chief Discuss Regional Issues

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held talks on a range of issues, including the latest developments in the Middle East region and the world.

News ID: 78103

Date: 19 July 2019 - 19:55

The meeting between Zarif and Guterres was held at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday (local time) on the sidelines of the high-level annual meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council.

The two sides discussed a host of topics, including the US government’s move to impose travel restrictions on the Iranian UN mission, tensions in the region, the British forces’ illegal seizure of an Iranian oil tanker, Iran’s moves to reduce commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.

They also exchanged views about regional issues, including the latest developments in Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US with Washington imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Recently, the US limited travel by Iranian officials visiting or assigned to the United Nations, sparking concern from the world body.

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.

Iranian officials, however, have dismissed such moves as psychological warfare, saying the country has its own ways of circumventing the American bans and selling crude oil.

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