France Reiterates Support for Iran Nuclear Deal

Despite the opposition of the U.S. President to the Iran nuclear deal, France has once again emphasized its support for the agreement. According to the Associated Press, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stated on Thursday, October 19, after meeting with Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Paris, that 'despite U.S. President Trump's failure to certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal, the agreement remains valid.' Donald Trump announced last week that he would not certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal this time, and if the U.S. Congress cannot find a solution, he would terminate the agreement reached during Barack Obama's presidency. This has raised warnings from European leaders who emphasize the need to maintain the nuclear deal. In this context, the IAEA Director General also stated, 'We have not yet had enough opportunity to assess Iran's approach, but I can say that the Iranians are very cautious, and we continue our monitoring and inspections without any issues.' Amano also met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, during which Macron called for comprehensive and rigorous oversight of all aspects of the nuclear deal. The IAEA Director General had previously confirmed Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement, assuring that Iran's nuclear program is currently under 'the most robust verification mechanism' in the world. However, the White House does not consider this sufficient, as the CIA Director has stated that Trump is concerned that Iran is only a short time away from achieving the capability to produce nuclear weapons under the cover of the nuclear deal. In this context, Haley stated that Iran, by hiding behind technical compliance with the JCPOA, is violating other restrictions. A letter from 25 former foreign ministers to the U.S. Congress supports the JCPOA. Reuters reports that European leaders have reiterated their commitment to the JCPOA. The CIA Director has stated that by pressuring the IRGC, they aim to prevent Iran's destructive actions.