TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi along with a delegation will visit Paris on Monday to discuss a “proposal being discussed between Iran and France”.

The information was provided by President Hassan Rouhani’s chief of staff Mahmoud Vaezi during an interview with the TV.

The proposal is intended to save the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
 
“An economic delegation comprised of various departments will take part in [Araghchi’s] meeting to clarify the dimensions of the proposal,” Vaezi said.

Since Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, Tehran has been asking Europe to ignore U.S. sanctions and continue trade. Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron has offered Iran economic incentives in order to reduce tensions between Tehran and Washington.

“France shared a proposal with us two weeks ago and we have revised a substantial part of it,” Vaezi said, adding that the proposal is the result of five hours of phone discussions between Macron and Rouhani.

On August 31, Iran disclosed that in their latest phone call Rouhani warned Macron if Europe does not honor its obligations under the nuclear accord, Iran will take another step to reduce its commitments. 

Tehran announced in May it will gradually reduce its obligations and enrich more uranium if Europe does not respond to its demands.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif went to France two times last week upon his French counterpart’s invitation to discuss the situation around the JCPOA and regional tensions.

Zarif on August 25 paid a surprise visit to Biarritz, France, where the G7 leaders were meeting.

The visit came only hours after sources said Macron had been given mission by his G7 counterparts to engage in talks with Iran.

“We agreed on what we wanted to say jointly on Iran,” Reuters quoted Macron as saying. “There is a message from the G7 on our objectives and the fact that we share them is important, which avoids divisions that in the end weaken everybody.”

Later, Zarif said in a tweet that he had met with the French president as “Iran’s active diplomacy in pursuit of constructive engagement continues.”

Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China – plus Germany signed the nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016.

Under the accord Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of economic and financial sanctions.

SP/PA