John Kerry: I have not met with Iranians since the US withdrawal from the JCPOA

John Kerry, the former Secretary of State of the United States, who previously stated that during Donald Trump's presidency he met with Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, several times, says these meetings took place before the US exited the nuclear agreement. In an interview with Michael Smirconish from CNN published on Saturday, October 6, he referred to the criticisms of the Trump administration regarding his political stance, saying, "The fact that they [the Trump administration] do not want me to speak is a separate issue, but I tell you that since the President's withdrawal from the agreement [nuclear deal], I have not met with any Iranian, and that's that." On September 13, Kerry had mentioned in a radio interview that during Trump's presidency he met Zarif three or four times at various conferences and meetings, trying to understand what Iran was willing to do for positive changes in the Middle East, including Yemen and Syria. Following these statements, Donald Trump called Kerry's actions "illegal," and Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, described it as "improper and unprecedented." Kerry's spokesperson at that time responded to Pompeo's remarks, stating that the former Secretary of State had shared the details of his meetings with Zarif with Pompeo. In the CNN interview, Kerry emphasized that these meetings occurred before the US's exit from the nuclear agreement with Iran and criticized the withdrawal from the JCPOA again. He stated that in his view, leaving the agreement meant "losing the best option" and explained that the US could have used its remaining presence in the JCPOA as leverage to encourage other countries to cooperate. Kerry continued that by staying in the JCPOA, the US could have asked Iran, with the help of other countries, to be accountable regarding its missile program and its support for Hezbollah and to behave better in Yemen. He noted, "Exiting [the JCPOA] and angering everyone, I don't think is in our country's interest, and I am free to express my opinion while respecting this decision." Donald Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the nuclear agreement as the "worst" deal for the US, exited the JCPOA on May 8 and reinstated economic sanctions against Iran. This action drew protests from other countries that had signed the agreement. The current US administration believes that the agreement had flaws that, according to Washington, led to the advancement of Iran's missile program and the continuation of the destabilizing actions of the Islamic Republic in regional countries. Since the withdrawal from the JCPOA, Trump has repeatedly stated that he is willing to negotiate with Iran to reach a "real deal," a proposal that has so far been rejected by Iran.