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U.S., Iranian diplomatic relations kickstarted
September 30, 2013
Washington, D.C.: Not since 1979 have the heads of the United States and Iranian governments had diplomatic relations.[1] Last Tuesday, September 24, President Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hoped to kickstart diplomacy between the two nations with a handshake at the United Nations General Assembly. While Rouhani called the potential handshake "a symbolic issue," the event didn't happen due to schedule constraints.[2] Days later, however, Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Iranian counterpart to discuss Iran's nuclear plans and to eventually come to an agreement easing the sanctions levied in response to Iran's controversial nuclear program.[1][3] Finally on Friday, September 27, the two leaders spoke on the phone, breaking more than 30 years of silence between the countries. Rouhani stated they spoke of "their mutual political will to rapidly solve the nuclear issue."[4]
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Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Yahoo, "Rouhani 'breaks ice' despite missed handshake with Obama," September 26, 2013
- ↑ MSNBC, "Rouhani: ‘Not enough time’ for Obama handshake," September 25, 2013
- ↑ Washington Post, "Kerry, Iranian foreign minister Zarif hold private meeting on sidelines of nuclear talks," September 26, 2013
- ↑ Reuters, "Iranians cheer, protest over Rouhani's historic phone call with Obama," September 28, 2013
