Iranian, French presidents discuss Tehran’s nuclear issue, bilateral ties
New York: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, held talks over Tehran’s nuclear issue and bilateral relations.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (local time), according to a statement published on the website of the Iranian president’s office.
Pezeshkian stressed that Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons, voicing the country’s readiness to hold talks with the European sides on its nuclear issue within an “acceptable” framework.
Macron, for his part, expressed his country’s readiness to work towards preventing the escalation of the situation, reports Xinhua news agency.
He underlined France’s determination to resolve issues in its relations with Iran, noting that Paris was willing to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and prevent the eruption of conflicts.
The two presidents reviewed bilateral ties and expressed hope that, with the resolution of differences between Iran and France in the future, the necessary groundwork would be laid for the expansion of bilateral relations and cooperation, according to the statement.
The meeting came as the UN Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution that would extend sanctions relief for Iran under a 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Last month, France, Britain and Germany triggered the JCPOA’s “snapback” mechanism, which allows UN sanctions to be reimposed within 30 days if Iran is judged in breach of the accord. The sanctions are expected to take effect later this month.
Since last year, Iran has held several rounds of talks with the three European states, primarily focusing on Tehran’s nuclear issue and the removal of sanctions.
The JCPOA has been under strain since the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018, prompting Iran to gradually reduce compliance.
