Speaking during the annual conference of French ambassadors on Monday, January 6, French president Emmanuel Macron targeted Iran as the main “strategic and security challenge” for European countries. He accused it of working with “dangerous groups and supporting Russia in the war in Ukraine. He also raised the issue of Iran’s nuclear program claiming it is fast approaching to a “point of no return.”
Iran responds to Macron’s allegations
On Tuesday, January 7, Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, reminded Macron that it is Israel–not Iran–that poses the real threat to peace and stability in the region. Baghaei also demanded an end to France’s continued support for the Israeli genocide of Palestinian people.
“It is regrettable that the French president, instead of criticizing a genocidal and apartheid regime whose leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court [ICC], is pointing fingers at a country (Iran) that has always been a harbinger of peace and respect for the principles of international law,” Baghaei said.
France’s continued support for Israel
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister of defense Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
France has maintained a vague position on the warrant, claiming that the Israeli prime minister enjoys “immunity” from arrests, practically ruling out the possibility of Netanyahu’s arrest if he visits the country.
“Despite the fact that Israel has continuously expanded its military aggression and expansionsim to various countries in the region, in addition to continuing its occupation and genocide in occupied Palestine, it is supported by the US and its European partners in all ways possible,” Baghaei said.
France has been a primary weapons supplier and source of diplomatic support for Israel since its inception. Despite asking the world to halt the export of weapons to Israel in November of last year, France itself has continued to supply weapons to Israel claiming they are “defensive” in nature.
Iran’s nuclear program is diplomatic and lawful
Baghaei reiterated his country’s position that its nuclear program is completely within the framework of international law and under the strict and continuous supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He questioned France’s right to raise doubts about Iran’s nuclear program when it is one of those countries who violated their commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the nuclear deal, IRNA reported.
France was one of the six signatories of the 2015 JCPOA, a landmark agreement in international diplomacy that allowed Iran’s nuclear program to continue under international observation with certain restrictions and lifted all international sanctions. However, when the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and imposed sanctions on Iran, France and other European signatories, such as Germany and the UK, followed its example in complete violation of the provisions of JCPOA.
France’s role in international conflicts
Baghaei also accused France of playing a significant role in Israel acquiring nuclear weapons, in violation of international law and France’s own obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Israel, which is not a signatory of the NPT, allegedly has nuclear weapons. However, this is largely ignored by the IAEA and major powers, who consistently raise concerns about the Iranian nuclear program, despite Iran being a signatory to the international control regime.
Rejecting Macron’s accusation that Iran has supported Russia in its war in Ukraine and supplied weapons to it, Baghaei asserted that his country has always supported a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Unlike France and other European countries, who continue to supply billions of dollars’ worth of weapons to Ukraine while hampering peace talks.
“Such irresponsible statements are tantamount to distorting the facts and an attempt to conceal the destructive role of the main crisis causing actors in the world,” Baghaei said.
Iran’s relations with African nations
Baghaei also rejected Macron’s concerns about Iran’s growing engagements with the countries in Africa. He described the comments as a sign of the colonial power’s anxiety over its former colonies asserting their right to be independent in their foreign policy. Baghaei said Iran supports such assertions of independence and added, “countries having a history of violent colonialism in Africa cannot determine the fate of an independent nation with the same mentality.”
Various African countries have forced France to end its military presence in their territories in recent years. Most of these countries in Western and Sub-Saharan Africa were under French colonial rule for decades.
“The relationship between Iran and African countries is based on mutual respect and purely based on an understanding of mutual benefit, unlike the French colonial mentality,” Baghaei asserted.
