French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (right) answer Rudaw's questions in Brussels on June 26, 2025. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - European leaders on Thursday reiterated calls to revive diplomatic efforts over Iran’s nuclear program as a ceasefire holds between Israel and Iran.
“There is unanimity in Europe not to see this program resume and clearly to avoid in any way the access to nuclear weapons by Iran,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at a press conference in Brussels.
He said that France will work closely with the United States and international agencies to ensure Iran complies with its nuclear obligations and urged a return to diplomacy “in order to build a new framework, but as well new monitoring.”
“This is why the importance of the international nuclear watchdog - I mean the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] - is absolutely critical, as well as to keep Iran within the Non-Proliferation Treaty,” he said.
Iran’s parliament on Wednesday approved a bill to suspend cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, after Tehran accused the agency of taking “politically-motivated” measures against it. A final decision about continuing to work with the IAEA rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
During the conflict between Israel and Iran, the IAEA said it lost track of 400 kilograms of Iran’s enriched uranium.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz echoed calls for diplomacy and expressed disappointment that Iran has not resumed direct talks with the United States.
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed by Iran and world powers, curbed Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The US withdrew from the deal in 2018. Tehran and Washington were engaged in indirect talks about a new nuclear deal, but they were halted with Israel’s airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and personnel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that there is no plan to return to talks with the US.
Addressing the situation in Syria, Macron said recent sanctions relief was linked to demands for improved human rights protections and action against drug smuggling and terrorism.
“We have a list of key topics that justify the lifting of our sanctions - the fight against captagon, clarity against Daesh [ISIS] and terrorist groups,” he said.
“We want Syria’s transitional president to be more engaged with the coalition, respect all components of Syrian civil society, and improve the current situation, which is not acceptable, especially after the terrorist attacks.”
Macron was referring to a suicide bombing during Sunday mass at the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus that killed at least 25 people and injured 63, according to Syria’s health ministry.
Authorities blamed the Islamic State (ISIS) and arrested suspected affiliates the following day.
It was the first church bombing of its kind since Syria’s civil war began in 2011, drawing global condemnation.
Macron also reaffirmed France’s support for Kurdish communities in Syria and Iraq, promising to “follow up very carefully” and telling Rudaw’s Alla Shally, “you [the Kurds] can count on us.”
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