France backs US-Iran negotiations as ‘only path’ to lasting peace: Diplomatic source

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - France continues to support negotiations between Iran and the United States as the only way to secure lasting peace, a French diplomatic source said on Saturday, while stressing that any agreement must address Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs as well as its regional activities.

“We continue to support the negotiation process initiated between Iran and the United States, which represents the only path to achieving lasting peace,” the source told Rudaw’s Niyaz Musfafa. 

“France is determined to play its full part in this effort, and we have held very constructive discussions in this regard with our G7 and regional partners,” the source added.

The remarks come as diplomatic efforts to end the months-long conflict between Tehran and Washington struggle to make headway, with a June interim agreement failing to produce a broader peace deal within its 60-day timeframe.

The conflict erupted on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran, targeting its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and senior leadership. Tehran retaliated with attacks on Israel, US military bases and sites elsewhere in the region, while largely shutting the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global energy supplies.

The French diplomatic source stressed that Paris expects any potential US-Iran agreement to take into account its security concerns and address what it sees as threats posed by Tehran.

“Any agreement between Iran and the United States must take our security interests into account. We have always been very clear: all aspects of the Iranian threat must be addressed through a sustainable response,” the source said.

“This encompasses both Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activities and its destabilizing actions in the region.”

France has maintained that it is not a party to the conflict and said its immediate focus is on restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy shipments.

“France did not instigate this conflict, nor is it a party to it. Our priority is to enable the full reopening of shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with international law,” the source said.

The source added that France and the United Kingdom are working with about 30 partners on a multinational military mission aimed at securing maritime navigation.