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Zarif Says Iran Has Not Yet Accepted French Proposal To Reduce Tensions


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (Right) meets with French envoy Emmanuel Bonne (Left) during a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, 10 July 2019.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (Right) meets with French envoy Emmanuel Bonne (Left) during a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, 10 July 2019.

French President Emmanuel Macron's special envoy to Tehran had brought a proposal to reduce tensions between Iran and the United States, but Iran has accepted the proposal in its current form, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters on Thursday July 11.

Zarif made the remark one day after he held talks with Macron's special envoy to Tehran, Emmanuel Bonne, on Wednesday.

On the same day, Bonne had also separately met Iran's security chief Ali Shamkhani.

Bonne said during his meeting with Shamkhani that he was not carrying any message from the United States for Tehran.

The French President had reportedly suggested that Iran should stop increasing its uranium enrichment level in exchange for the United States to temporarily revive oil sanction waivers; a measure that would facilitate limited oil exports by Iran.

Zarif says that in response to the French proposal he told Bonne: "You cannot expect Iran to stop its measures as long as the United States continues its economic war against Iran."

The United States has repeatedly offered talks with Iran without pre-conditions, but Tehran insists sanctions have to be scrapped first.

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