Speaking to French ambassadors posted around the world on Monday, the French president also criticised Iran over backing for what he called “dangerous groups” across the Middle East and supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“The acceleration of the nuclear programme brings us close to the point of no return,” Macron said.
He added France would engage with the new US administration on the “Iranian question”.
Tehran has repeatedly declared that its nuclear program remains purely peaceful as always and that the Islamic Republic had no intention of developing nuclear weapons as a matter of an Islamic and state principal.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued an official fatwa (religious decree) clearly establishing that any form of acquisition, development, and use of nuclear weapons violate Islamic principles and are therefore forbidden.
In 2015, Iran proved the peaceful nature of its nuclear program to the world by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world powers.
However, Washington’s unilateral withdrawal in 2018 and its subsequent re-imposition of sanctions against Tehran left the future of the deal in limbo.
In 2019, Iran started to roll back the limits it had accepted under the agreement after the other parties failed to live up to their commitments.
