Iran Says Macron Can Play Key Role in Reducing Tensions

In a thread on his Twitter account, Iran’s Ambassador to Paris Bahram Qassemi pointed to the significant role that France, a “traditional partner” of Iran, could play in de-escalation of diplomatic tensions.

His emphasis on the diplomatic weight of France came after the French president’s top diplomatic adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, visited Tehran and held meetings with senior Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

“The president of France, as the head of a major European state and a traditional partner of Iran in many political and economic fields, understands the serious international and regional situation and can play an important role in reducing the existing tensions by employing the country’s diplomatic position in the global arena,” Qassemi noted.

“The path to diplomacy and dialogue have always been and will be a major pillar of Iran’s foreign policy,” the ambassador added.

The Iranian diplomat also highlighted the futility of sanctions against Tehran, stating, “Unilateral policies, a lack of understanding of the realities, threats, and sanctions are among the obsolete and already failed methods in today’s integrated and interrelated world.”

France has accelerated efforts in recent weeks to encourage the US to lift anti-Iran sanctions and convince Iran to fully stick to the 2015 nuclear deal, although it had a whole year to ensure the Islamic Republic’s interests under the JCPOA, which has been scrapped by the US in 2018.

A group of analysts believe that France is trying to play the role of a “good cop” in the efforts to save the nuclear deal.

French President Macron has said that he and Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani have agreed to seek conditions for a resumption of dialogue for de-escalation of tensions by July 15.

France’s presidential office said in a statement on July 6 that Macron would keep on talking with Iranian authorities and other involved parties to “engage in a de-escalation of tensions related to Iranian nuclear issue.”