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Iran says foreign minister Zarif to visit Macron in France
TEHRAN, Aug 20, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad
Zarif is expected to visit Paris and meet with his counterpart and the French
president on Friday, state news agency IRNA reported.
“We will visit Paris on Friday to meet Emmanuel Macron and France’s foreign
minister” Jean-Yves Le Drian, IRNA quoted Zarif as saying during a gathering
of Iranians in Stockholm late Monday.
Zarif is currently on a three-nation tour of Scandinavia and he will also
visit China “next week”, according to IRNA.
France is a partner to the 2015 nuclear deal and has led European efforts
to salvage the landmark accord since US President Donald Trump unilaterally
withdrew from it last year and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
Responding to those sanctions — as well as perceived inaction by European
partners to counter the measures — Iran announced in May it would stop
observing restrictions on its stocks of enriched uranium and heavy water
agreed under the deal.
Tehran also threatened to take further measures unless the remaining
parties — Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia — help it circumvent
US sanctions, especially to sell its oil.
Iran’s top diplomat started his global tour with a visit to Kuwait on
Saturday, followed by Finland and Sweden.
Norway and France are next on the agenda.
“America’s sanctions are not pressuring me,” Zarif added, dismissing
concerns that US sanctions targeting him since late July would hamper his
globetrotting diplomacy.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1641 hrs