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French President urges resumption of Iran nuclear talks

United Nations, Sep 25 

French President Emmanuel Macron called on the US and Iran to return to talks as tensions between the two nations have escalated in the recent past.

"More than ever, I sincerely and profoundly believe that the time has come to resume negotiations between the US, Iran, the signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the (affected) countries of the region," Macron told the ongoing UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday.

The goal of the renewed talks would be: first, the certainty that Iran never acquires and develops nuclear weapons; second, a solution to the crisis in Yemen; third, a regional security plan, which also incorporates the other crises of the region and security of maritime navigation; and finally, lifting of economic sanctions, he said.

The President noted that after the US withdrawal from the 2015 agreement, he proposed a global framework that would make it possible to preserve the nuclear deal and to complement it with a more expanded approach dealing with issues arising from the Iranian nuclear programme and its ballistic missile programmes, reports Xinhua news agency.

Macron said that he had believed all along that the strategy of pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme could only lead to an increase in tensions in the region.

He also mentioned the recent attack on Saudi oil facilities, which was claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels but was blamed on Tehran by Washington and some of its allies.

"Today, we have a risk of a serious conflict based on a miscalculation or a disproportionate response. Peace is at the mercy of an incident of miscalculation. And the consequences for the region would be very serious, too serious for us to live on the edge of a cliff," said the French President.

He asked the US and Iran to show courage for peace.

Macron was one of the European leaders trying to broker a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, both of whom are in New York for this week's General Debate of the UNGA.