Iran rejects Macron’s ‘baseless, contradictory’ remarks

Tehran has strongly rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent anti-Iran allegations, calling them “baseless and contradictory.”

News ID: 5725

Date: 08 January 2025 - 09:55

TABNAK, Jan 08: The Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday it is regrettable that instead of the apartheid regime of Israel, whose leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court, the French president incriminates Iran, which has always respected international law.

Esmail Baghaei stressed that it is Israel, which poses a real and immediate threat to regional peace and stability but still enjoys the full support of the US and some European countries, including France.

He said the Israeli regime “has continuously expanded its military aggression and expansionism to various countries in the region, in addition to continuing its occupation and genocide in occupied Palestine.”

Regarding Macron’s claims about Iran's peaceful nuclear program, Baghaei said Tehran’s nuclear activities are within the framework of international law and under the strict and continuous supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

He also rejected allegations about Iran's intervention in the Ukraine conflict, saying such irresponsible statements are meant to distort the facts.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed surprise and regret at the French president's concern about Iran's interactions with African countries, saying: "Countries that have a history of violent colonialism in Africa cannot determine the fate of independent African countries and other nations with the same mentality."

Baghaei emphasized that the relations of Iran with African countries are based on mutual respect and respect for the national sovereignty and political independence of each African country and are based on the 'principles of international law regarding friendly relations and cooperation among states based on the Charter of the United Nations' to achieve mutual benefits.

Macron had accused Iran of being the main strategic and security challenge in the region, citing the acceleration of the country’s nuclear program and its alleged support for Russia's war against Ukraine.

On Friday, Baqaee noted that Iran has proved its goodwill over the past two decades to address the alleged concerns over its peaceful nuclear programs, while the European parties of the deal, including France, didn’t live up to their commitments under the agreement.

In 2015, Iran proved the peaceful nature of its nuclear program to the world by signing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with six world powers.

However, the US’s unilateral withdrawal in 2018 and its subsequent re-imposition of sanctions against Tehran left the deal's future in limbo.

In 2019, Iran started to roll back the limits it had accepted under the JCPOA after the other parties failed to meet their commitments.