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Kerry discusses Islamic State with Iranian counterpart

The one-hour discussion in a New York hotel came as each representative prepared for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly this week.

By Ed Adamczyk
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif. UPI/Maryam Rahmanian | License Photo

NEW YORK, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif held a rare face-to-face meeting in New York on the Islamic State and Tehran's nuclear program.

The one-hour discussion in a New York hotel came as each representative prepared for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly this week.

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While Iran and the U.S. have announced their opposition to IS, Iran has made clear it would not join a multinational military operation against IS. Iran, however, may make a contribution of some kind.

The International Business Times reported they agreed to conduct further meetings if necessary.

Iran and the European Union-led P5+1 group consisting of the United States, Germany, Britain, Russia and China have a November deadline for securing an agreement by which Iran trades a reduction of its uranium enrichment program for the lifting of Western-imposed sanctions.

A senior State Department official said the talks between Kerry and Zarif reviewed the status of the negotiations and agreed the upcoming week is an opportunity to make further progress

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