US and Europeans divided over Iran at G7
Robert Carter
Press TV, London
All eyes have been on France over the weekend as world leaders gathered in Biarritz for the annual G7 summit. Official topics to be discussed were gender inequality and damage to the environment but focus quickly shifted elsewhere.
In a surprise move, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif flew in to attend a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. The unannounced visit comes as France ramps up efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the US over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Inevitably, US President Donald Trump was challenged on his Iran policy following the news of Zarif’s attendance, although the two never actually met during the summit.
Several European countries have expressed a desire to keep the Iran Nuclear deal, also known as the JCPOA, alive and encourage a de-escalation of tensions between Iran and the US; a point mentioned by German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also commented following the news of Zarif’s talks on the G7 sidelines at Biarritz, saying any that all endeavors towards Iran’s advancement is the only feasible way ahead for the Islamic Republic amid ongoing enemy hostilities.
Tensions between Iran and the US increased after Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Iran deal in May 2018 and has since followed the so-called campaign of “maximum pressure” on the country.
At the G7, Trump also reiterated he wants a non-nuclear Iran and to talk about their defensive ballistic missiles programme but Iran has made very clear its national security is absolutely and under no condition negotiable with anyone, any country or for any period.
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