Three’s a crowd: John Kerry ignored by Syria, Russia foreign ministers

As US secretary of state, John Kerry is not used to being kept waiting, especially in times of crisis.

But Syrian foreign minister Walid al Moallem conspired with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to send a message to the Americans.

Kerry and his team entered a room at the UN for a meeting with Lavrov to discuss the Russian airstikes that appear to have hit US-backed rebel groups in Syria, only to find the minister deep in conversation with his Syrian ally.

A pro-Iranian TV channel in Lebanon broadcast the incident and showed Kerry initially trying to wait out the meeting before walking out, clearly discomforted. The presenter says he had stayed for three minutes. To compound the situation he appears to take a wrong turn in trying to leave and has to retrace his steps past the cameraman.

Asked later whether he was aware that Kerry had been put out by the incident, Moallem said simply: “Let him wait”.