French President's Proposal for Mediation and Negotiation with Iran

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, states that the nuclear agreement alone is not sufficient and that new negotiations need to begin. He has described abandoning the agreement as a mistake and suggested that two separate dialogues be established in the region, one without Iran and the other mediated by Paris and the United Nations with Iran. In a conversation with reporters in New York, he referred to "the situation in the Middle East, increasing pressures regarding Iran's influence in the region, and the rising ballistic activities since the nuclear agreement was reached"; he says these issues indicate that the nuclear agreement between Tehran and the six global powers is inadequate. Macron has called for negotiations regarding potential sanctions related to Iran's missile program, an immediate opening of negotiations to continue agreements and limitations after 2025 concerning the nuclear program, and Iran's role in the region. Macron states, "Let's be honest! Tensions are rising; look at Hezbollah's activities [in Lebanon] and Iran's pressures in Syria. We need a clear framework to provide assurance for the countries in the region and the United States." He added that he is willing to mediate between Tehran and Washington. At the same time, he says he has not given in to convincing the U.S. President, who has described the nuclear agreement as "the worst deal" and "a source of shame for America." Macron is among the defenders of maintaining the agreement with Iran and used his opportunity in a speech at the United Nations gathering to emphasize this point. Paris had previously proposed negotiations regarding the agreement after 2025, when Iran's barriers will gradually be removed. This period, referred to as "sunset," has also been mentioned by senior U.S. officials. The U.S. Secretary of State referred to this issue on Wednesday after meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister, stating that from the perspective of the U.S. President, the "sunset" clause in the nuclear agreement is an "unacceptable" issue. Regarding Syria, the French President believes he has succeeded in convincing Donald Trump to allow France and the United Nations to mediate between Iran and the U.S. on issues related to Syria. He says, "I have proposed that we clarify the contact group plan of the P5 (Britain, China, Germany, France, and Russia) and extend it to the existing political forces in Syria and the region, without Iran." Emmanuel Macron then added, "The UN Secretary-General and France will play the role of mediator in negotiations with Iran, allowing us to conduct a parallel negotiation while also enabling us to involve Iran in this process." Iran, Turkey, and Russia are currently conducting negotiations in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, related to the Syrian crisis, based on which several de-escalation zones have been established, including at the Turkish borders. The French idea of returning to UN negotiations regarding Syria and increasing pressures for the implementation of the UN's "roadmap" for the Syrian crisis is currently only theoretical. The foreign ministers of the P5 group are scheduled to meet on September 21 in New York.