Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. (Photo: Reuters)

A White House official said France’s invitation to Mohammad Javad Zarif for talks on the sidelines of the gathering in the beach resort of Biarritz was “a surprise”. Zarif met his French counterpart to assess what conditions could lead to a de-escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington, a French official said.

The White House official said the Iranian Minister did not meet with any US officials.

European leaders have struggled to calm a deepening confrontation between Iran and the United States since Trump pulled the US out of an internationally brokered 2015 nuclear deal last year and reimposed sanctions on Iran’s economy. French President Emmanuel Macron has taken the lead in trying to defuse tensions, fearing that a collapse of the nuclear deal could set the Middle East ablaze.