More Negotiations Needed on France's Four-Point Plan

EghtesadOnline: The four-point document prepared by French President Emmanuel Macron to address the dispute between Tehran and Washington does not state Iran's stance correctly and needs further negotiations, the top Iranian diplomat said.

News ID: ۷۴۸۶۲۳

05 October 2019

"The four-point plan that Macron has proposed is presented in their language and does not contain our views … Negotiations need to continue so that subjects are presented precisely," Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters following a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, IRNA reported.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been rising since US President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal last year under which Iran accepted curbs on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions.

Trump reimposed sweeping sanctions to push for new talks on other areas such as Iran's regional behavior and missile program, but Tehran has refused to enter any negotiations while under pressure, according to Financial Tribune.

European countries made mediatory efforts to defuse the tensions and Macron's proposal prepared after days of shuttle diplomacy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last week was along this line.

According to the document, which has been seen by Politico, Tehran would agree that "Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon" and will "fully comply with its nuclear obligations and commitments, and will accept negotiation on a long-term framework for its nuclear activities," the news website reported.

It would also "refrain from any aggression and seek genuine peace and respect in the region through negotiations".

Disregard for Iranian Views

Zarif highlighted the document's disregard for Iranian views, noting that "we have made clear that Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon".

Besides, he added, Tehran has always promoted the security of shipping in the Persian Gulf while "others have impeded these efforts".

Although Iran's ballistic missile program is not specifically mentioned in the text, French officials said the language on Tehran's regional role was understood by all sides to mean it would be part of negotiations.

Iran has declared that it would never negotiate its defensive capabilities with any country.

Also as part of the plan, the United States would agree to "lift all the sanctions reimposed since 2017" and "Iran will have full ability to export its oil and freely use its revenues".

President Hassan Rouhani also said during his Cabinet meeting that the French plan is acceptable to the Islamic Republic on the whole, but its details need to be properly worked out.

"The general plan is acceptable to us, but I did not accept the wordings because they were incorrect," he was quoted as saying by his website.