The chief of staff to President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that US President Donald Trump’s people asked for a meeting with Rouhani eight times during the UN General Assembly last year.
“During Mr. Rouhani’s last visit to New York for the UN General Assembly, President Trump’s office eight times conveyed to the Iranian delegation a call to have a meeting with the president,” Mahmoud Vaezi told reporters, according to Mehr News Agency.
He said the Iranian team did not respond to the requests, which came just after Trump announced he would no longer certify Iran’s compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal–setting the scene for his eventual withdrawal from the pact in May.
“We have a transparent policy and clear position with regard to our relations with the US... that (we) will not yield to pressure,” Vaezi said.
Tehran said in October that the Trump White House had requested talks with Rouhani during the annual UNGA meeting. However, the claim of several requests had never been made.
The embattled US president has said he is open to talks on a new deal with Iran that goes beyond its nuclear program to include its regional policies and missile defense systems. Iran has said that the two key subjects are not negotiable.
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