Emmanuel Macron tells Iranian president that Tehran must “cease its support for destabilizing actors”, amid tensions between Israel and Lebanon

Emmanuel Macron spoke on Monday July 29 with the new Iranian president Massoud Pezeshkian, to whom he declared “that everything had to be done to avoid a military escalation” after renewed tensions between Israel and Lebanon, calling on Iran to “stop supporting destabilizing actors”.

The French president has “expresses its very serious concern regarding the rise in tensions between Israel and Lebanon, particularly following the deadly attack carried out by Hezbollah”, reported the Elysée at the end of this first telephone conversation with his reformist counterpart, elected on July 5.

A rocket attack, blamed by the Israeli government on the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah, killed 12 young people on Saturday in the Syrian Golan occupied by Israel, rekindling fears of a regional conflagration. Emmanuel Macron asked Tehran, a supporter of the Shiite Hezbollah, to call “to the restraint”believing that a new war “would have devastating consequences for the region”according to a press release from the French presidency.

During this first call, the French head of state “congratulations” his counterpart “for taking office” after his electoral victory, but felt that “real changes” were “required” in Iran. He also told him that “the immediate release of the three French nationals, unjustly held hostage in Iranian prisons for two years, was an essential requirement and a sine qua non condition for improvement” relations between Paris and Tehran.

The French head of state also “called on the Iranian president to halt the worrying escalation of Iran’s nuclear program and to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency”pleading for “a diplomatic solution” while negotiations have been at a standstill for many months.

“France stands ready to work with the new Iranian president to facilitate the resolution of all disputes and contribute to security and stability in the region.”assured the Elysée. The French president also “warned” Massoud Pezeshkian “against the prosecution” of “support” from Tehran “to the war of aggression waged by Russia in Ukraine”.