France sees one-month window for US and Iran to engage talks

France’s top diplomat judged that Iran and the United States had just over a month to try to start a dialogue on easing tensions in the Middle East, before another expected move by Tehran to ramp up its nuclear activities.

The comment by Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian came after it emerged that Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani refused to take a call from Donald Trump during the UN summit in New York last month.

The call was reportedly brokered by President Emmanuel Macron, who has been pushing to reduce the risk of a spiralling conflict in the Middle East after Washington pulled out of a 2015 deal aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Egypt
 French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. EPA-EFE/KHALED ELFIQI

He urged both sides to move before November 6, when Iran’s government is likely to abandon further commitments it made as part of the 2015 deal.

Via AFP

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