French President Calls for Continued Dialogue with Iran

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, emphasized the necessity of maintaining diplomatic dialogue with Iran on Wednesday, January 1. According to Reuters, the French President warned that the tone of statements made by the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia against Iran could lead to war. Mr. Macron told reporters: "The official line pursued by the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, our allies in many respects, is almost the same path that leads us toward war." Emmanuel Macron stressed that some have adopted this line based on a deliberate strategy and with awareness. He stated that France seeks to establish a kind of balance in this regard. The French President further noted that he would visit Iran when calm returns to the country. Various cities in Iran have witnessed protests against the economic situation and against the Iranian government in recent days. International news agencies report that as these protests have spread, Iranian security forces have intensified their crackdown on protesters. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the United States intends to gather "trackable information" about individuals and organizations involved in the suppression of protesters in Iran to target them with sanctions. A U.S. government official, who wished to remain anonymous, said on Wednesday that the U.S. government plans to include these individuals on the designated sanctions list. Donald Trump, the President of the United States, also tweeted on Wednesday: "I have great respect for the people of Iran who are trying to take their government back from the corrupt. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time." The protests in Iran, which began last Thursday in Mashhad, Nishapur, and Kashmar, quickly spread to other cities, marking the most extensive unrest in Iran in the past eight years. Official statistics indicate that 21 people have been killed in the cities of Tuyserkan, Dorud, Izeh, Shahinshahr, and Qahedarijan. Iranian security officials have also reported the arrest of over a thousand individuals during these protests.