Trump Calls John Kerry's Meetings with Mohammad Javad Zarif 'Illegal'

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has deemed the meetings between John Kerry, the former U.S. Secretary of State, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, as 'illegal.' Trump wrote on his Twitter account: 'John Kerry has had illegal meetings with the very hostile Iranian regime, and this action can only impact our great work to the detriment of the American people. He has told them to wait until the Trump administration is out! Has he registered his activities under the Foreign Agents Registration Act?' Kerry acknowledged in an interview that he has met with Zarif several times over the past two years. Kerry stated that his goal was not to advise Zarif on how to deal with U.S. policies but to understand how issues with Iran could be resolved. In a radio interview, Kerry mentioned that he had met with Zarif three or four times during Trump's presidency at various conferences and meetings, trying to discern what Iran might be willing to do for positive changes in the Middle East, including Yemen and Syria. Meanwhile, a senior U.S. State Department official stated that Kerry should not undermine the Trump administration's strategy towards Iran. Manisha Singh, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, said: 'I have no personal information regarding these meetings; if such meetings occurred, it would be inappropriate.' On May 8, Trump announced his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, stating that U.S. sanctions against Iran would be reinstated. The first round of sanctions, which included industrial and financial sectors, was implemented in mid-August, and the second round, targeting Iran's oil exports, is set to take effect on November 4. The U.S. President claims that the goal of the new strategy towards Iran is to achieve a more comprehensive agreement that includes the future of Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile program, and regional activities. However, since the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, Trump has repeatedly stated that he is willing to negotiate with Iran without preconditions to reach a 'real agreement,' a proposal that has so far been rejected by Iran.