French, Iranian presidents talk on phone
Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had a conversation on phone on Saturday and will stay on close contact in coming days, the French presidency announced in a press release.
“In the following of the exchanges that have taken place during the summit of the Group of Seven (G7) at Biarritz, the President of the Republic [of France] has underlined the importance of the ongoing dynamic to create conditions for de-escalation through dialogue and for the construction of a durable solution in the region,” said the press release, Xinhua news agency reported.
Macron reiterated that Iran should fully comply with its nuclear obligations and take necessary measures on its part for the re-establishment of peace and security in the Middle East, said the release, adding that the two presidents agreed to stay on close contact in coming days.
In their one-page declaration concluding their summit at Biarritz on Monday, G7 leaders said they fully share two objectives on Iran : to ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons and to foster peace and stability in the region.
At a joint press conference alongside with US President Donald Trump, Macron suggested a meeting between Trump and Rouhani to solve the Iranian nuclear crisis. Trump said he is open to the meeting “if the circumstances are right”.
Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China, plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015.
However, the United States pulled out of the deal last year and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran, which had been lifted under the accord. In reaction, Iran also dropped parts of its obligation to the deal recently and threatened to do more.
