Iranian sources confirm Zarif, Obama handshake

Iranian sources have confirmed the handshake between Iran's foreign minister and the US president, although they said it was not planned.
U.S. President Barack Obama addresses attendees during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York, September 28, 2015. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - RTX1SXTI
US President Barack Obama addresses attendees during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York, Sept. 28, 2015. - REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Arash Karami
@thekarami
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Iranian sources close to the delegation attending the UN General Assembly in New York have confirmed a report by Bloomberg that Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US President Barack Obama shook hands. The report, based on anonymous US administration sources due to the sensitivity of the issue, was confirmed Sept. 29 by anonymous Iranian sources.

This is the highest level meeting between the two countries since the 1979 revolution. In 2013, also at the General Assembly, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Obama held a historic phone conversation.

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