French FM Visit Detailed

The schedule of a visit by French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who will arrive in Tehran at the head a high-ranking politico-economic delegation on Monday, was announced by Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi. According to an IRNA report on Saturday, Ayrault will first co-chair a meeting of Iran-France Economic Commission on Tuesday with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. "Besides that, the top French diplomat will hold separate meetings with Zarif, President Hassan Rouhani, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani and some other top officials," Qasemi said. On the composition of the French delegation, Qasemi said it includes representatives of about 60 French firms, high-ranking diplomats, French economic officials and reporters. The trip comes amid uncertainties about the future of a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and P5+1 (the US, Britain, France, Russia and China, plus Germany), triggered by new US President Donald Trump's threats to scrap the accord. The European parties to the deal, along with China and Russia, are unanimous about the need to protect the deal.