French Ambassador to the United States, Philippe Etienne, stated in an interview with Al Arabiya that there is "European consensus on the necessity of stopping Iran's nuclear violations." Etienne emphasized that France will not remain idle regarding Iran's actions in the region, saying: "We have been calling for years to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (nuclear deal) after the United States left it under the previous administration, but of course, we are discussing and dealing with other issues. We are not passive," referring to the conference organized by France with Iraq in Baghdad during the summer.
Additionally, the French ambassador confirmed that his country is consulting and coordinating with the UK, Germany, as well as China and Russia for Iran's swift return to negotiations in Vienna. He stated: "Our policies are very clear and centered around the necessity of returning to the Joint Comprehensive Plan. We also agree with the Americans on the need for Iran to quickly return to negotiations in Vienna. This requires Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and to stop violating the nuclear agreement. We also discuss (with Iran) all other issues, not just the nuclear file."
Furthermore, Ambassador Etienne asserted that France's policy "aligns with Washington" on Iraq and Lebanon. In another context, he considered the relationship between Paris and Washington to have "recovered after the Australian submarine crisis," adding that US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron would meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit at the end of this month. The French ambassador stressed that "France is America's oldest ally," adding that the two countries have a "unified policy towards China."
