Coup de théâtre at the G7 in Biarritz. Iran's top diplomat, Mohammad Javad Zarif, was received by Europeans on Sunday (August 25th) on the sidelines of the summit, where French President Emmanuel Macron was trying to convince his American counterpart, Donald Trump, to play de-escalation with Tehran.

>> Read on France 24: Macron clarifies the content of the discussions on Iran

Mohammad Javad Zarif met Emmanuel Macron and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian as well as representatives of the other two European countries - Germany and Great Britain - signatories of the Iran nuclear deal. "The road is difficult" but it "is worth trying," tweeted the head of Iranian diplomacy, stayed a few hours in Biarritz, after his talks.

"Positive" discussions

The talks were "positive," said the French presidency, adding that the minister, under US sanctions, had come to Biarritz "in agreement" with the United States and that Emmanuel Macron had informed Donald Trump. The latter, questioned about the arrival of the Iranian envoy, contented himself with a "no comment".

The Iranians stopped in July to respect certain commitments of the Vienna agreement governing their nuclear program, in response to the US exit of the text in May 2018 and the reintroduction of heavy American sanctions.

The Europeans, led by Paris, have since been trying to convince Washington to ease sanctions on Iranian oil in exchange for Tehran's return to its commitments and the opening of negotiations on its ballistic program.

But their room for maneuver remains limited in the face of a US president determined to exert maximum pressure, even though he said at the same time be ready to discuss with Tehran.

After a dinner Saturday presented as positive on Iran by several participants, Emmanuel Macron thus believed to be able to announce Sunday the agreement of the Seven - including Donald Trump - to speak with Teheran of the same voice.

"I did not discuss that"

"We agreed on what we will say about Iran," said Emmanuel Macron on the television channel LCI / TF1. "We have taken note of a joint communication and an action decision that allows us to reconcile the positions a bit". "I did not discuss this," replied two hours later Donald Trump.

For Europeans, pressure alone is not enough as the Iranian economy is stifled by sanctions. "Trump wants an agreement, we are working on the conditions to get there," said a European diplomatic source.

The US president has also ruled out any de-escalation in his trade war with China despite urgent calls from other G7 members worried about the repercussions on the global economy.

He "regrets (just) not to have raised more tariffs," quipped his spokesman, Stephanie Grisham, while the president had initially seemed to regret having gone so far.

"Fantastic commercial agreement"

On another controversial topic, the Brexit, Donald Trump has ostensibly helped the new British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in his arms-of-iron with the Europeans. "It's the right man to do the job," he said at their first meeting Sunday, over a breakfast, promising him a "big deal" as soon as London left the EU.

With a warm embrace to his American friend, Boris Johnson also said that the two countries would conclude a "fantastic trade agreement once the obstacles are removed".

On the urgency of the moment, the forest fires ravaging the Amazon, the G7 countries agree to "help as soon as possible the countries that are struck," said Emmanuel Macron. "We are working on an international mobilization mechanism to help these countries more effectively," he said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European aid would be coordinated in Brussels.

"Strengthen dialogue and coordination"

The seven leaders also agreed to "strengthen dialogue and coordination" on the current crises with Russia, but said it was "too early" to reintegrate into a G8, according to a diplomatic source. Russia was excluded from the G8 in 2014 after the invasion of Crimea. Donald Trump is rather favorable to his return, against his peers.

On the terrorism front, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron called for "broadening" and "strengthening" the international coalition financially helping the Sahel countries to fight against jihadist groups.

Against G7

A few dozen kilometers from the G7 site, opponents do not intend to disarm after holding a counter-summit and a rally on Saturday. Hundreds of protesters participated, Sunday, in Bayonne, "a march of the portraits" of Emmanuel Macron who were unhooked in the town halls, qualifying him as "president of the Republic of the polluters".

With AFP