#Macron #thinks #nuclear #deal #Iran
French President Emmanuel Macron told his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday that relaunching the landmark 2015 deal on Tehran’s nuclear capabilities is “still possible” but must happen “as soon as possible”.
Macron also expressed “his disappointment” at the lack of progress following the hiatus in Vienna talks and stressed the need for Iran to return to the deal and implement its nuclear commitments, according to a French Presidency statement.
The French leader’s phone call to Raisi comes as negotiations in Vienna between Iran and world powers, including the United States, have stalled since March.
The 2015 deal aimed to prevent Iran from developing the ability to acquire a nuclear bomb in exchange for lifting sanctions that have hampered its economy.
But former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, prompting Tehran to back down on its commitments.
In June, Qatar hosted indirect talks between the United States and Iran to resume diplomatic efforts in Vienna, but talks stalled after two days without a breakthrough.
The Iranian presidency said Raisi “condemned the unconstructive positions and actions of the United States and European countries” during his two-hour meeting with Macron on Saturday.
Last week, an Iranian official said Tehran has the technical capacity to make a nuclear bomb, but clarified that it had not decided to make a nuclear bomb.
Iran’s foreign ministry said there was “no change” in its nuclear policy, citing an Islamic ruling that bans “weapons of mass destruction.”
Macron “reiterated his deep concern” over four French people “arbitrarily detained” during his talks with Raisi in Iran.
They include Benjamin Briere, who was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for espionage, and Franco-Iranian researcher Fariba Adelkhah, who was sentenced to five years in prison in May 2020 for endangering national security.
The other two detainees are trade unionists who have been detained since May 11 and are accused of threatening Iranian security.
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