In a visit to Tehran on Monday, the French foreign minister reaffirmed his country's commitment to the Iran nuclear agreement, saying Paris has taken practical measures to use the investment opportunities created in the post-sanctions era that could boost bilateral trade.
Jean-Yves Le Drian's trip is part of a European drive to salvage the nuclear deal with Iran, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, while echoing concerns raised by US President Donald Trump who has threatened to scuttle the agreement.
The visit is the first by an official in President Emmanuel Macron's administration.
The official met with a number of high-ranking officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, and Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani.
In a meeting with Iran's top diplomat, Le Drian said, "France strongly believes in implementing the JCPOA and has taken a number of major, practical measures to execute it, including investment in Iran's auto and energy industries and offering special credits for trade cooperation and investment in joint projects in Iran," according to a translation of his remarks carried by IRNA.
Several steps have also been taken to increase collaboration between the two countries in the banking sector, the French official added.
The 2015 accord between France, Britain, Germany, Russia, China and the United States gave Iran relief from economic sanctions in return for curbs to its nuclear program, allowing Tehran to talk trade with Europe for the first time in years.
French Investment
Paris was quick to restore trade ties with Tehran following the signing of the agreement. Planemaker Airbus, oil major Total and automobile manufacturers Peugeot and Renault have signed deals.
In addition, France said in February that it will start offering euro-denominated credits to Iranian buyers of its goods and services later this year, a move to bolster trade while keeping it outside the reach of US sanctions, according to Reuters.
The US president has vowed to back out of the multinational pact if Europe does not help fix its "flaws".
In an effort to keep him on board, France has criticized Iran's missile program, which Tehran says is only for deterrence, and raised the possibility of new sanctions.
Words, Not Actions
Zarif told the French minister that European powers could play a "more constructive" role in preserving the nuclear pact, which he called "an international achievement".
"Europe should pressure the United States to fulfill its commitments under the JCPOA and not allow it to make unreasonable and illegal demands while reneging on its promises," Zarif said.
He called on all signatories to the accord to deliver action, not just words to save the agreement, noting, "If the international community is supposed to persuade a party to stay in the nuclear deal, it is Iran that should be convinced, not the United States."
In addition to bilateral ties, the talks featured a range of regional issues, including the situation in the war-torn countries of Syria and Yemen.
INTRO (1): France says it strongly believes in implementing the nuclear deal and has taken a number of major, practical measures to execute it, including investment in Iran's auto and energy industries
INTRO (2): Zarif told his French counterpart that Europe should pressure the US to fulfill its commitments under the JCPOA and not allow it to make "unreasonable" and "illegal demands"
