PARIS, France, Sept 3, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Iran said Monday its views have
been converging with those of France on ways to save a nuclear deal at risk
of unravelling since the US withdrew last year.
Government spokesman Ali Rabiei also suggested President Hassan Rouhani
could meet US counterpart Donald Trump if it served Iran’s interests, while
cautioning there was no need to meet an “agitator” in the current
circumstances.
Rouhani has had a series of phone calls with French President Emmanuel
Macron in recent weeks aimed at salvaging the landmark 2015 nuclear deal
between Iran and world powers.
The French leader has been trying to convince the United States to offer
Iran some sort of relief from sanctions it has imposed on the Islamic
republic since pulling out of the deal in May last year.
“In the past few weeks, there have been serious negotiations” between
Rouhani and Macron, as well as talks with other European nations, said
Rabiei.
“Fortunately, in many areas, our views have come closer together,” the
government spokesman told a news conference.
Tehran and Washington have been at loggerheads since Trump unilaterally
withdrew the US from the nuclear accord and began reimposing crippling
sanctions on Iran.
– ‘Useful initiative’-
The arch-foes were on the cusp of confrontation in June when Tehran downed
a US drone and Trump ordered retaliatory strikes on Iran before cancelling
them at the last minute.
The situation has calmed down somewhat since, with Macron expressing hopes
during a G7 summit in late August of organising a meeting between Rouhani and
Trump.
A French foreign ministry spokeswoman indicated Monday that, underpinning
Macron’s efforts to make progress on the issue, including at last week’s G7
summit in France, “discussions are continuing with Iran on reaching a de-
escalation of tensions.
“A meeting is taking place to this end in Paris today between French and
Iranian experts,” she added without giving further details.
The Iranian delegation was due to be headed by deputy foreign-minister and
top nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi.
Also Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov joined visiting
Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in welcoming French efforts to save
the Iran nuclear deal while criticising Washington’s stance.
“We are hoping that this useful initiative of the French president will
bear fruit,” Lavrov told reporters.
– Credit line –
Rouhani has played down the likelihood of a meeting, saying the Americans
first needed to lift all sanctions against Iran.
But his government’s spokesman hinted on Monday that such a meeting could
still happen if it suited Iran’s interests.
“The president (Rouhani) still holds the same position that because of
national interests, if he’s sure that meeting someone will help our people,
he will not hold back,” Rabiei said, quoted by state news agency IRNA.
“In my opinion, the US president’s goal for meeting Iran’s president is
one thing and ours is another. The US president’s goal is more for domestic
reasons, while we aim to return to what is our right and has been neglected.”
He cautioned that “there is no reason for the president to meet an
agitator and an economic terrorist in the current situation”, according to
IRNA.
Iran has hit back with countermeasures in response to the US withdrawal
from the nuclear deal, which gave it relief from sanctions in return for
curbs on its atomic programme.
It has been threatening to take a third step in reducing its commitments
to the deal, reportedly on Friday, after already increasing its uranium
enrichment and stockpile.
A conservative Iranian lawmaker said Macron had proposed offering Iran a
$15-billion line of credit on condition it returns to the fold.
“Macron has proposed Iran stop its third step for now in exchange for this
sum, and maybe retreat from its first and second steps to the initial
situation,” said Ali Motahari, quoted late Sunday by Tasnim news agency.