Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif left Biarritz on Sunday evening, just a few hours after his surprise arrival to the French city where the G7 leaders are gathered.
The departure came within a minute of a tweet sent out by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif confirming he had met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Zarif's presence had not been announced and represented an attempt by French host Emmanuel Macron to find a way to soothe spiralling tensions between Iran and the United States.
Iran's active diplomacy in pursuit of constructive engagement continues.
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) August 25, 2019
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
"Ongoing discussions"
A French official said Zarif had held talks for almost 3.5 hours, including 30 minutes with President Emmanuel Macron.
The French presidency described talks at the G7 summit in Biarritz between French leaders and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as "positive" and said the discussions, which also included Germany and Britain, would continue.
"The discussions are positive and are ongoing," an official in President Emmanuel Macron's office said of the talks, which drew in both Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as well as German and British officials.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, REUTERS, AFP)
