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.

Rouhani criticized the stance and told Macron the allegations were "baseless." Yet Iran has not shied away from backing the Houthis, justifying the drone strikes as the Yemenis' legitimate option in self-defense against the Saudi invasion of their country.

According to Alireza Miryousefi, media bureau chief of the Iranian mission in New York, Rouhani also let his French counterpart hear about a peace initiative he is planning to present during an address to the General Assembly. The Hormuz Peace Initiative, named after the Iran-controlled strategic waterway, encourages contribution from the Persian Gulf littoral states for the long-term stability of the sensitive region.