Hollande: Iran's Return to the International Stage is Now Possible

François Hollande, the President of France, believes that Iran's return to the international relations scene has become "possible now" following the lifting of sanctions imposed on Tehran. On Thursday, January 21, the French news agency reported Mr. Hollande's remarks, emphasizing that "it now depends on this great country to succeed." Iran, which had been under multiple international sanctions for years due to its nuclear activities, was able to create conditions for the lifting of sanctions following an agreement with world powers, culminating on January 15 when the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Tehran had complied with its nuclear commitments, leading to the lifting of all related sanctions. Meanwhile, Paris is set to host Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, on January 26. Mr. Rouhani will embark on his first foreign trip after the lifting of sanctions to Italy on January 24, where he will meet with officials of that country as well as Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, before heading to France. Previously, it was planned for the Iranian President to make this trip in November, but due to terrorist events in Paris, his travel schedule was postponed to January, a time when, although the possibility of expanding Tehran's relations with Western countries has arisen, tensions with Riyadh in the region have increased to the point where Saudi Arabia has cut diplomatic ties with Iran. François Hollande also emphasized on Thursday that the escalating tensions between Tehran and Riyadh must be reduced, and Paris is willing to play a mediating role. He stated, "We must do everything for stability in the region to create conditions for cooperation with each other. For this reason, I will soon travel to Egypt, Jordan, and Oman." Previously, the Prime Minister of Pakistan had also attempted to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia with visits to Riyadh and Tehran.