French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Iran’s nuclear programme poses a growing risk and called for immediate diplomatic efforts to regain control over it.
“Iran’s nuclear programme is a threat, and there can be no complacency on this matter,” Macron said in Paris on Friday.
But he did not offer support for Israel’s ongoing airstrikes on Iran, saying: “No one can seriously claim that current military operations are a response to this threat.”
He noted that Iran’s nuclear facilities are heavily protected and that the exact location of the country’s stockpile of 60 per cent enriched uranium is currently unknown.
“This is a programme that must once again be brought under control through technical oversight and negotiations,” he stressed. “Resuming substantive talks must be an absolute priority.”
Macron said that France, Britain and Germany were aligning their positions when it comes to Iran.
The foreign ministers of the three countries are set to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister at Abbas Araghchi around 3 pm (1300 GMT) in Geneva.
Macron said that the European powers would put forward a proposal for a diplomatic solution comprising several points.
They include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resuming its work in Iran with a view to ensuring that there is no enrichment and that it has access to all facilities, plus the curtailing of Iran’s ballistic activities and the financing of its regional proxies. (dpa/NAN)
