Zarif in France as Macron increases efforts to save the JCPOA

Tabnak – As France’s diplomatic attempts to save the Iran nuclear deal has been intensified, reflected in the French president’s interactions with his US counterpart on the issue, Iranian foreign minister has been invited to France for talks. Tehran has made it clear that no talks with US officials have been planned at the trip.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived in the French city of Biarritz where a meeting of the seven top economic powers of the world, known as G7, is going on to discuss with French officials the recent initiatives offered by the two countries’ presidents.

The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, said in a tweet on Sunday that the country’s top diplomat had landed in the French city at the official invitation of his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, to continue consultations on the recent initiatives proposed by Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.

“There will be no talks with the American delegation [to the G7 summit] in this trip,” Mousavi said.

A French presidency official was quoted by Reuters as saying that Zarif is in talks with his French counterpart on the sidelines of a G7 summit to discuss what conditions would de-escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran.

"Zarif came to Paris on Friday with Iranian propositions which obviously must be refined," the French official said, adding, "Yesterday there was a substantial discussion between G7 leaders and it is important to now update Zarif in order to keep closing the gap...on the conditions with which we could de-escalate the tensions and create breathing space for negotiations."

The unnamed French official also emphasized that no discussions have been planned between Iranian and American officials at this stage.

Earlier on Sunday, Macron said G7 leaders had agreed joint action on Iran to defuse tensions and open a new round of negotiation with Tehran.

Zarif met with the French president on Friday after a tour of Scandinavian countries after which he said he had "constructive" negotiations with Macron on ways to salvage an international nuclear deal signed between Iran and then P5+1 countries back in 2015.

"France has offered proposals to Iran about ways to implement the JCPOA (the nuclear accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and steps that the sides are required to take (to save the deal)," Zarif said.

He added that Iran has also presented proposals so that the JCPOA would be implemented completely.

Iran's top diplomat noted that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his French counterpart have held telephone conversations over recent weeks and said his meeting with Macron was also held in continuation of talks between the two presidents.