Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif unexpectedly showed up at the G-7 Summit in France on Sunday, a move that blindsided President Donald Trump.
According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi, Zarif was invited to the summit by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Unnamed European officials told the Washington Post that French President Emanuel Macron was the only G-7 leader who knew about the visit ahead of time.
The Iranian foreign minister chose to accept Le Drian’s invitation “despite US efforts to destroy diplomacy,” the minister tweeted.
Three unnamed U.S. officials told NBC News that “no one was expecting” Zarif to show up, and that several Trump administration officials were incensed by Macron’s invitation.
Trump himself, however, simply told reporters “no comment” when asked for his response, according to the Post.
Zarif met with only Macron and Le Drian during his trip. Mousavi pointedly mentioned that the Iranian foreign minister had no plans to talk to Trump or any American delegates at the summit.
