French President Emmanuel Macron announced today that he has agreed with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, to accelerate negotiations between European powers and Iran concerning its contested nuclear program. The development comes amidst a dangerous escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict and a renewed focus on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Macron detailed his call with Pezeshkian, reiterating a firm stance: “I am demanding: Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons, and it is up to it to provide every assurance that its intentions are peaceful.” He expressed conviction that “there is a way out of the war and to avoid greater dangers,” emphasizing that achieving this would involve “accelerating the negotiations led by France and its European partners with Iran.”
This diplomatic push by France and its European allies – notably the UK and Germany (often referred to as the E3) – underscores a concerted effort to de-escalate the burgeoning conflict in the Middle East and address the underlying concerns about Iran’s nuclear capabilities. European diplomats have held recent talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva, aiming to find a diplomatic off-ramp to the current crisis.
The renewed urgency in these negotiations is set against a backdrop of intensified hostilities between Israel and Iran, which have seen significant casualties on both sides, targeted strikes, and drone incursions. Furthermore, a recent shift in assessment by US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who now believes Iran could build nuclear weapons “within weeks,” adds a critical dimension to the diplomatic efforts.
While the specifics of the accelerated negotiations remain to be detailed, the focus is expected to be on securing Iran’s commitment to the peaceful nature of its nuclear program and potentially rolling back some of its recent advancements in uranium enrichment. Iran has been enriching uranium to levels significantly beyond the limits set by the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and its stockpile of enriched uranium has grown substantially since the US withdrew from the deal in 2018.
President Macron’s statement signals Europe’s determination to lead diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider conflict and address nuclear proliferation concerns, even as other global powers, particularly the United States, grapple with their own strategies in the volatile region.
Source: http://thepressradio.com
