Iran Press/Europe: Speaking to FRANCE 24, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Iran’s decision to ramp up its nuclear program could be quickly reversed if the US could be persuaded to end its “economic war” on the country.
FRANCE 24 spoke with Zarif shortly after he met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace on Friday.
“We are moving in the right direction,” Zarif said of recent discussions between Macron and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Macron and Rouhani have held a series of phone conversations over the last several weeks, Zarif confirmed.
The European Union is one of eight signatories to that deal along with Iran, the United States, Russia, China, France, and Germany.
Referring to recent tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, Zarif said Iran, as the "strongest power in the region", was responsible for maintaining security in the Persian Gulf.
“The United States has exacerbated tension in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere. Freedom of navigation is a global responsibility and the United States is committing piracy, in Gibraltar, with the help of some of its friends elsewhere.”
Zarif blamed the United States for starting an “economic war” he says is already underway.
“We are engaged in a war. It’s an economic war that the United States has imposed on Iran,” Zarif said. “I believe the US should be pressured by the rest of the international community to abandon its policy of pressure and intimidation. It won’t work.”
We want to engage with everybody, but we only trust our own people
"We discussed with Macron how the US could come back, and how Europe and the international community can live up to their commitments, independent of the US," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in an interview with Euronews.
''We want to engage with everybody, but we only trust our own people, that is how we've been able to survive 40 years of outside forces...at the end of the day we have learned the hard way, that we need to only put confidence in own people and abilities,'' Iranian Foreign Minister noted.
Zarif arrived in Paris late on Thursday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the 2015 nuclear deal after he wrapped up the Scandinavia tour.
Before Scandinavia tour which took him to Finland, Sweden, and Norway, Zarif visited Kuwait.101/201
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