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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Obama engages Iranian foreign minister in historic handshake at UN | Obama engages Iranian foreign minister in historic handshake at UN |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| President Barack Obama and Iran’s foreign minister shook hands when they ran into one another on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York. | President Barack Obama and Iran’s foreign minister shook hands when they ran into one another on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York. |
| Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif came upon Obama “accidentally” and the two shook hands, according to a report on Tuesday by Iran’s official Irna agency. | Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif came upon Obama “accidentally” and the two shook hands, according to a report on Tuesday by Iran’s official Irna agency. |
| Related: Iran foreign minister criticized for handshake with 'Great Satan' Obama | |
| A White House official, speaking on grounds of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed on Tuesday that “there was a brief interaction at the luncheon, where they shook hands”. | A White House official, speaking on grounds of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed on Tuesday that “there was a brief interaction at the luncheon, where they shook hands”. |
| It represented the first handshake between an American president and Iran’s top diplomat since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ousted a pro-western monarchy in Iran. The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since then. | It represented the first handshake between an American president and Iran’s top diplomat since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ousted a pro-western monarchy in Iran. The two countries have had no diplomatic relations since then. |
| Obama and the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, spoke over the phone as Rouhani was leaving the UN in 2013 after his presidential debut at the general assembly. | Obama and the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, spoke over the phone as Rouhani was leaving the UN in 2013 after his presidential debut at the general assembly. |
| The Irna report insisted the encounter was not planned. Iranian state TV said it transpired in “less than a minute” and that the US secretary of state, John Kerry, also introduced two of Zarif’s deputies who were there to Obama. | The Irna report insisted the encounter was not planned. Iranian state TV said it transpired in “less than a minute” and that the US secretary of state, John Kerry, also introduced two of Zarif’s deputies who were there to Obama. |
| But Iranian hardliners appeared bothered by the handshake. | But Iranian hardliners appeared bothered by the handshake. |
| “The foreign minister [Zarif] has committed a very bad action and he has to apologize to the great Iranian nation,” Mansour Haghighatpour, a member of parliament’s committee on national security and foreign policy, told the semi-official Fars news agency. | “The foreign minister [Zarif] has committed a very bad action and he has to apologize to the great Iranian nation,” Mansour Haghighatpour, a member of parliament’s committee on national security and foreign policy, told the semi-official Fars news agency. |
| His committee colleague Mohammad Hassan Asafari told the Associated Press that there should be an “investigation to see what the case was”. | His committee colleague Mohammad Hassan Asafari told the Associated Press that there should be an “investigation to see what the case was”. |
| Others speculated whether the handshake signaled better ties. | Others speculated whether the handshake signaled better ties. |
| Maybe the “Islamic Republic intended to convey … that we are ready to begin a new chapter” with Washington, said lawmaker Mehrdad Lahouti. | Maybe the “Islamic Republic intended to convey … that we are ready to begin a new chapter” with Washington, said lawmaker Mehrdad Lahouti. |
| Another lawmaker, Aboozar Nadimi disagreed, saying a “greeting like this does not mean it will lead to a deep, active and permanent relationship”. | Another lawmaker, Aboozar Nadimi disagreed, saying a “greeting like this does not mean it will lead to a deep, active and permanent relationship”. |