Obama Not Scheduled, But Open To Meeting With Rohani

Iranian President Hassan Rohani (left) and U.S. President Barack Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama is not scheduled to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rohani next week when both will be at the UN General Assembly, but a senior U.S. official said Obama remains open to such a meeting.

The U.S. official, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said Secretary of State John Kerry is likely to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on the sidelines of the annual UN event.

The U.S. official said while there are no plans for Obama to meet with Rohani, "the president of the United States is well known for being open to such a meeting but the choice is really Iran's."

Last year during the UN General Assembly, Obama and Rohani spoke by telephone but though they were both in New York, they did not meet face-to-face.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax