French Foreign Minister: I am concerned about Trump's stance on the nuclear deal with Iran

Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, expressed concern on Wednesday, September 6, about Donald Trump's position regarding the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, which was reached two years ago. Speaking at the University of Paris, he stated that this agreement led Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program, thus preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We must ensure this position. Le Drian added that he is currently worried about President Trump's stance, as it could undermine this agreement. If the agreement is questioned, Iran may respond by saying: 'Then let us have nuclear weapons too.' Le Drian continued, stating that we live in a very complex and dangerous world. According to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was agreed upon in July 2015 between Iran and six world powers, Iran suspended many of its nuclear activities in exchange for the suspension or lifting of nuclear sanctions against it. Donald Trump, who opposes the nuclear deal, has called for a review of the agreement and has assigned a team to this task. Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has confirmed Iran's compliance with the Vienna agreement twice in reports to the U.S. Congress, but some reports indicate that it may not confirm it in October. In this context, Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, stated yesterday that if Trump reports to Congress in October that Iran has not complied with the nuclear deal, it does not mean that Washington will withdraw from the JCPOA. Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reiterated on Wednesday that Tehran 'will never be the initiator of violating the JCPOA.' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also stated on Wednesday that 'continuing the JCPOA without the U.S. is not impossible' and 'all options, including returning to the previous stage, are on the table.' The Associated Press reported on July 27, citing senior U.S. officials, that Trump is seeking to negotiate with European countries to establish a new agreement that could prevent the development of Iran's nuclear program even after the expiration of the JCPOA. According to this report, the U.S. President is also trying to inspect 'suspicious' military sites in Iran. In response, Iranian officials reacted strongly to the meeting of the U.S. Ambassador to the UN with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency and his criticism that the Agency does not inspect Iran's military centers and bases.