Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his country had approved the French project to resolve the crisis with the United States, provided that guarantees are provided in this regard, but Washington failed this project. Sources revealed details of the efforts of French President Emmanuel Macron to push his US counterpart Donald Trump to contact Rouhani.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Ahmadinejad said it was unacceptable for the United States in private conversations to be ready for dialogue with Iran, while publicly saying it would step up sanctions.
He said relations would return to normal if Washington lifted all sanctions and Iran was able to export its oil and get its revenues.
Proposal and Terms
The French proposal is a European pledge to adopt an oil line of credit to Iran, worth up to $ 15 billion in its first phase until the end of this year.
In return, Iran will stop its policy of reducing compliance with the terms of the nuclear agreement, and return to full compliance with it, and provide guarantees on the security of the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
The proposal also requires Tehran to accept negotiations after 2025 on the nuclear program, the year set by the 2015 nuclear deal as a time frame for unconventional inspections and inspections.
Rouhani said that his country's policy is to maintain security and stability in the region and the Gulf waters and to guarantee the freedom and safety of maritime navigation.
The Iranian president, who met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Eurasia Economic Summit in the Armenian capital of Yerevan, said that ensuring the security of the Gulf waters, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz is taking place with the participation of countries bordering the Gulf, calling on the international community to take decisive decisions to face US policies. Unilateral.
| Zarif: Tehran has reservations about French proposal (Reuters) |
Reservations and efforts
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said after the cabinet meeting that Tehran has reservations on the French proposal on the nuclear deal, but will continue to dialogue with Paris to reach an understanding.
He said his country would welcome dialogue with Saudi Arabia if Riyadh changed its policy in the region and realized that it could not guarantee its security by buying weapons.
French President Emmanuel Macron made efforts on the sidelines of UN meetings to push US President Donald Trump on Tuesday to hold a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Rouhani, but the latter refused to receive the call, a French diplomatic source said. They started and never rejected the initiative.
The source explained that "in New York, until the last minute, Emmanuel Macron tried to make contact, because the talks he had with Presidents Trump and Rouhani suggested that this contact was possible."
During his 48-hour stay in New York, Macron, who has been working for months for a meeting between the two presidents, met Trump three times and Rouhani twice, calling for direct dialogue between them.
The source said that the night Macron was due to return to Paris, he considered that a phone call between the two men was possible.
Therefore, the French delegation sent technicians to install a safe line that evening between the hotel "Lotte" where the US president was present, and the hotel "Millennium" where the Iranian delegation was staying, with the consent of both parties.
Trump planned to call at 9 pm as the Iranians reacted to suspicions. He called at the scheduled time, but Rouhani told the French president he would not receive the call.
The source said that "the talks were hampered at this difficult point: the Iranians first want to lift US sanctions, and Trump first wants Tehran to make commitments on its nuclear, ballistic and regional activities."
"Tehran said no. This is completely unfortunate because the demands on the content have been approved by President Rouhani and President Trump."
There has been considerable tension between Tehran and Washington since the United States decided in May 2018 to unilaterally withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers and reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran.