Confusion reigns at the G7 Biarritz, Sunday, August 25, where several versions contradict each other about a French initiative on the Iranian nuclear issue.
According to the Elysee, G7 leaders have told Emmanuel Macron the role of talking with Iran to limit the escalation in the region and "to send a message" to the Islamic Republic, on the basis of exchanges of information. Saturday night opening of the summit of Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).
The objective of the forthcoming exchanges is "to avoid at all costs that Iran adopts the nuclear weapon" and "to stop the escalation in the region," said the French presidency.
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"We agreed on what we will say about Iran, in common, there is a message of the G7 on our objectives and the fact that we share them is an important element, it avoids divisions which basically weakens everyone, "said Emmanuel Macron at TF1 / LCI on the sidelines of the summit held until Monday in the French seaside resort.
"We all agree on two very clear things: we do not want Iran to have the nuclear bomb and we do not want an escalation and destabilize the region," he added. "We have taken note of a common communication, which I think has a lot of value, and a decision of action that allows us to reconcile positions a bit".
The United States will have their own initiative
To this end, the French head of state has obtained, according to the Elysee, "to be able to discuss and send a message to the Iranian authorities on the basis of the exchanges" that took place during the so-called "informal" dinner at the opening of the G7 (Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, United States), at the foot of the Biarritz lighthouse.
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But this version is however disputed by the American president. Speaking to the press on the sidelines of his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Donald Trump denied having "discussed" a G7 mandate to Emmanuel Macron to speak with Iran. The US president assured that he supports the approach of his French counterpart, but said that the United States would have their own initiative on this issue.
Signatory to the Iranian nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 between Iran and the 5 + 1 group (United States, China, Russia, United Kingdom, France and Germany), France tries by all means to preserve this text despite Washington's unilateral withdrawal and Tehran's decision not to fulfill any of its commitments.
With AFP and Reuters