Macron: We Seek a New Agreement with Iran on Four Key Issues

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, stated on Tuesday, April 23, that his country is ready to cooperate with the United States to achieve a new agreement with Iran that addresses existing concerns regarding the activities and actions of the Islamic Republic. Macron, who is on a three-day trip to Washington, emphasized in a joint press conference with Donald Trump that he opposes the dismantling of the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, but seeks a new agreement that 'includes all concerns.' He added that in his discussions with Trump, he has concluded that there is an opportunity to reach a new agreement with Iran. The French President stated: 'We had very candid discussions regarding the JCPOA. (Donald Trump) referred to the JCPOA as a bad agreement. I have been saying for months that this agreement is not sufficient, but it allows us to control Iran's nuclear activities until 2025.' Macron specified that he wants an agreement that includes four issues: first, preventing any nuclear activities by Iran until 2025, which has been achieved due to the JCPOA. Second, ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear activities in the long term. The third key issue is stopping Iran's ballistic missile activities in the region. The fourth issue is creating conditions for a political solution to contain Iran in the region, particularly in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. The French President further stated: 'We need a framework to achieve this goal, working together with regional powers and Iranian leaders to reach an agreement.' He emphasized that this is the only way to create stability. Meanwhile, Donald Trump also attacked the Iranian nuclear agreement during the press conference, calling it a 'disaster' and stating that 'this terrible agreement should never have happened.' The U.S. President stressed that if Iran resumes its nuclear program, it will face 'greater problems' than before. This seems to refer to recent threats from Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization, who have said that if the U.S. exits the JCPOA, resuming Tehran's nuclear activities is one of the options. Trump has given a deadline until May 12 to correct the 'deficiencies' of the JCPOA; otherwise, he will not extend the suspension of sanctions against Iran based on the JCPOA. Trump has set four conditions for the U.S. to continue its participation in the JCPOA, which include 'immediate access' for international inspectors to all Iranian sites and facilities, making restrictions on Iran's nuclear program permanent, guaranteeing that Iran will not approach nuclear weapons, and limiting Iran's ballistic missile program. Meanwhile, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, has warned that if the U.S. exits the nuclear agreement with six world powers, the JCPOA, it will have 'very unpleasant' consequences for Washington.