PARIS – France’s top diplomat spoke to his Iranian counterpart on Saturday, urging Iran to be ‘constructive’ and avoid further nuclear escalation ahead of talks next week aimed at trying to save a global deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program.
The United States and Iran said on Friday that they would start indirect negotiations next week, in one of the first signs of progress in trying to get both countries back in line with the 2015 agreement. The then President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the agreement in 2018, and Iran has since violated its restrictions.
Diplomats from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran are taking part in Tuesday’s EU mediation talks in Vienna. These six countries remained consistent, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which bound Iran to nuclear restrictions in exchange for easing US and international sanctions.
IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL: POLITICIANS, FORMER GUESTHOUSE DECRY OFFERS ADMIN’S ATTEMPT TO JOIN
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif on Saturday to prepare for the talks.
“I have encouraged Iran to be constructive,” Le Drian said in a statement. “I call on Iran to refrain from any further breach of its current nuclear commitments that could threaten the movement to resume talks.”
Iran insists it does not want to make nuclear bombs.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
President Biden stepped into office, saying it was a priority for his US government to get back into nuclear power and to get Iran’s nuclear program back under international restrictions. Iran wants sanctions lifted first.