Obama Announces That He Spoke With Iranian President Hassan Rouhani By Phone

9/27/13
 
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from The Huffington Post,
9/27/13:

President Barack Obama said Friday that he spoke by telephone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The call is the first communication between the leaders of the two countries since the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

The call comes after U.S. officials said earlier this week that the two would not meet at the U.N. General Assembly. The officials said that a meeting would be too “complicated” for the Iranians given the country’s internal politics.

“The two of us discussed our ongoing efforts to reach an agreement over Iran’s nuclear program,” said Obama. “I reiterated to President Rouhani what I said in New York: while there were surely be important obstacles to moving forward and success is by no means guaranteed, I believe we can reach a comprehensive solution.”

“Resolving this issue could serve as a major step forward in a new relationship between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” he said.

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