Iran Foreign Minister Hosts Dinner Meeting for UN Ambassadors

Amid possibility of new UN sanctions over country’s nuclear programme, Iran’s foreign minister held a rare meeting with the US and other UNSC members on Thursday, reported Reuters.

The dinner meeting with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki organized by the Iran’s UN mission was not attended by UN ambassadors of the US, Britain, France and Russia, who sent lower level diplomats instead, said report.

Deputy Ambassador Alejandro Wolff represented Washington in the meeting, report said.

The only chief of mission from the five permanent council members to attend the meeting was Chinese Ambassador Li Baodong, said report.

Most other council members, however, sent ambassadors to the dinner at the Iranian ambassador’s residence in Manhattan, report said.

Japanese Ambassador Yukio Takasu indicated that there had been no concrete outcome, said report.

“We are not here to negotiate, we are here to exchange frank general ideas,” he told reporters through an interpreter. “There was no talk about sanctions. What is important is that most Security Council members are here.”

He said that Mottaki reiterated Iran’s stand ‘that it has the right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy’, report said.

On the other hand, Wolff refused to comment, only saying, “The dinner was very good.”

It may be mentioned that Washington does not have formal diplomatic relations with Iran and rarely participates in meetings with Iranian officials outside the UN.

It was not immediately clear when a US diplomat last attended a dinner or reception hosted by Iran.