Kerry, Zarif discuss way forward on Iran nuclear deal
During a phone conversation, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and John Kerry discussed the importance of reaching an agreement on the implementation of the interim deal.
US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Saturday about how to move forward on implementing the Iran nuclear deal, US and Iranian officials said Monday.
Kerry called Zarif from his flight from Israel to Vietnam Saturday, a senior State Department official said Monday, after the conversation was alluded to by Zarif in an interview with the Washington Post’s David Ignatius and subsequently confirmed by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Kerry and Zarif "discussed the importance of moving forward on implementation of the Joint Plan of Action they agreed to in Geneva and of maintaining a constructive atmosphere as the negotiations continue,” the senior State Department official said. “The conversation was focused on the way forward.”
“I’ve been in contact with American officials as well as other P5+1 officials, as well as [European Union chief diplomat] Cathy Ashton,” Zarif told Ignatius. “And everybody is trying to seek possibilities to move forward.”
