Iran Urges France to Make Regional Allies Opt for Rationality

"France’ officials including its president are well aware that levelling false accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran stands in stark contradiction to the realities of the Middle East over the past decades,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Saturday.

His comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron urged firmness with Iran regarding its missile program and influence in the Middle East, in an interview with the United Arab Emirates-based al-Ittihad newspaper.

Tehran expects Paris to remain "realistic, fair and farsighted” when it comes to the sensitive developments in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf regions, Qassemi underlined.

"We maintain that France should responsibly convince its regional allies in the Persian Gulf region to adopt sensible policies and approaches far from excitement,” he added.

"Meanwhile, France is fully aware of Iran’s firm stance towards its defense capabilities, viewing it as non-negotiable,” Foreign Ministry’s official website quoted him as saying.

The spokesperson also added that the UN reports on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen should not fall on deaf ears.

"So far, we have witnessed a meaningful silence by the international community towards Saudi Arabia’s crimes in Yemen and its airstrikes against civilian areas in the war-torn country, killing recklessly the innocent women and children.”

"It goes without saying that the Saudis take the international silence as a green-light to go ahead with their inhumane moves in Yemen,” he deplored.

Qassemi finally noted that Iran expects the French government to adopt tangible measures including pressurizing its allies into immediately stopping their war and bloodshed in Yemen in order to establish ceasefire and restore peace and stability to the country.