France: Iran Must Comply With Nuclear Deal Before US Lifts Sanctions

Iran's foreign minister hits back, calls on US to lift sanctions

A French official said on Tuesday that Iran must return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal before the Biden administration lifts sanctions and returns to the agreement, known as the JCPOA.

The comments came from a French presidential official who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity.

“If they are serious about negotiations and if they want to obtain a re-engagement of all the stakeholders in the JCPOA, they firstly need to refrain from further provocations and secondly respect what they no longer respect, that’s to say their obligations,” the official said.

The comments came after President Biden spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday. During their phone conversation, the two leaders discussed Iran and the JCPOA and agreed to coordinate on the issue moving forward.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif hit back at the French comments on Twitter and reiterated Iran’s stance. “Why on earth should Iran — a country that stood firm & defeated 4 years of a brutal US economic terrorism imposed in violation of JCPOA & UNSC Resolution — show goodwill gesture first?” Zarif wrote.

“It was the US that broke the deal — for no reason. It must remedy its wrong; then Iran will respond,” he added.

Writing in Foreign Affairs last week, Zarif called on President Biden to unconditionally lift sanctions on Iran if he is serious about salvaging the JCPOA.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.