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Iran's Zarif under fire for saying he’d negotiate with US

Iranian conservatives have attacked Iran’s foreign minister for stating that Iran is open to talks with the United States.
Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif speaks with the media on the sidelines of a security conference in New Delhi, India, January 15, 2020. REUTERS/Alasdair Pal - RC29GE9BKE8L

A number of protesters gathered outside of Iran’s Foreign Ministry building to demand the resignation of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over an interview with the German publication Der Spiegel in which he discussed negotiations with the United States

In the interview, Zarif was asked about the possibility of negotiations with the United States following the assassination of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani. Zarif repeated Iran’s stated policy since the United States exited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and six world powers in May 2018, saying, “The Trump administration can correct its past, lift the sanctions and come back to the negotiation table. We’re still at the negotiation table. They’re the ones who left.” 

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