A 90-minute meeting between President Hassan Rouhani of Iran and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, in New York covered a wide range of topics from bilateral ties to political solutions over the 2015 Iran nuclear deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The discussions held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, however, appeared to have been overshadowed by one thorny issue: Iran's alleged involvement in the Sept. 14 strikes on Saudi oil facilities claimed by Tehran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels. Just ahead of the meeting, a joint statement from Britain, France and Germany pointed the finger of blame toward the Islamic Republic. "It is clear for us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation," the statement read.