Macron urges ‘dialogue and multilateralism’ on Iran

UNITED NATIONS, USA — French President Emmanuel Macron called Tuesday for “dialogue and multilateralism” on Iran, in a thinly veiled response to President Donald Trump’s push for tough, US-led sanctions.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly shortly after Trump, the French leader credited the 2015 accord rejected by Trump with curbing the nuclear programme of Iran.

“What will bring a real solution to the situation in Iran and what has already stabilised it? The law of the strongest? Pressure from only one side? No!” Macron said.

“We know that Iran was on a nuclear military path but what stopped it? The 2015 Vienna accord,” he said.

Trump has withdrawn from the seven-nation agreement negotiated under his successor Barack Obama, calling it a “disaster” and instead ramping up pressure on Iran including through renewed sanctions.

Supported by Israel and Saudi Arabia, Trump has sought to roll back Iranian influence around the Middle East including in war-ravaged Syria.

But Macron said: “As I was saying a year ago, today we should not aggravate regional tensions but rather through dialogue and multilateralism pursue a broader agenda that allows us to address all the concerns caused by Iranian policies — nuclear, ballistic, regional.”