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Armenian political scientist Suren Sargsyan predicts low chances for a meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and U.S. President Donald Trump in New York after Iran blamed "foreign mercenaries" backed by the U.S. for the terror attack that hit a military parade in Ahvaz, a city in southwest Iran, on 22 September.   

“Before that, President Trump did not rule out the possibility of a dialogue with Iran. He also did not rule out the fact that he could meet Iranian President Rouhani on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit taking place in New York in these days,” he told Panorama.am.   

Sargsyan, a researcher at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University), called attention to the fact both the U.S. and Iranian leaders are in attendance of the summit and are in the same building – the UN headquarters. “It is hard to say whether they will meet or not, but when Rouhani overtly blamed the U.S. after the terror attack, I think, the possibility of that meeting is lower now than before Iran’s statement,” Sargsyan said.  

Rouhani has claimed that a US-allied country in the Persian Gulf was responsible for the terror attack that killed 29 people, including children and 12 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, and wounded 70 others.

He also blamed the U.S. and its Gulf Arab allies for supporting destabilising forces in the Middle East.

Both the Islamic State and a separatist armed group, Al Ahwaz, claimed responsibility for Sunday’s terror attack.

Rouhani has also vowed Tehran will not abandon its missiles program amid pressures form the United States, stressing Trump will suffer the same fate as Saddam Hussein if he proceeds with his confrontation with Iran.