France urges Iran and world powers to avoid escalation and reach an agreement

Europe, News, US September 30, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2021, urged Iran and world powers to resume dialogues over the 2015 nuclear deal to avoid any further escalation.

French Foreign Minister Le Drian told the UN General Assembly on Monday that the international community must make sure Iran reaches an agreement with world powers on its nuclear program.

“Iran cannot be allowed to think any longer that time is on its side because the more dangerous its nuclear program becomes, the greater the risk of a major crisis,” French minister Le Drian added.

On September 29, the French president’s envoy told Reuters, that “there was no need to set new conditions because the parameters for an accord were clear”. The French official stated that world powers negotiating with Iran need to adopt a joint approach, and urged China to “express itself and act in a more determined way.”

French foreign minister’s comments come amid the statement from the United States calling Iran to stop denying the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog access to a workshop making centrifuge parts as agreed two weeks ago or face diplomatic retaliation at the agency’s Board of Governors meeting.

Iran firmly rejected the U.S. call to grant UN inspectors access to the Iranian nuclear site, saying America was “not qualified to demand inspections”.

Iranian state media IRNA quoted Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization chief Mohammad Eslami stating, “Countries that did not condemn terrorist acts against Iran’s nuclear site are not qualified to comment on inspections there”.

According to Iranian officials, since July 2020 country’s key nuclear, military and industrial facilities have been targets of sabotage operations, with two explosions that took place at Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal was reached in 2015 between Iran and the world powers, including the U.S., Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany, Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment, not to divert any fissile material, and allow IAEA inspectors. However, in June 2021, Iran suspended negotiations with world powers that have been taking place in Vienna, and stressed that the newly elected president of Iran needed time to form government and review policies.