Macron takes bold step to bring Iran back into the fold
CHINA.ORG.CN
French President Emmanuel Macron sprang a surprise on his fellow G7 leaders during last weekend's summit in the coastal town of Biarritz when Iran's foreign minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, jetted in.
Zarif's visit caught the Americans by surprise, including President Donald Trump. His administration has recently imposed personal sanctions against Zarif, making a meeting between them highly unlikely. Instead, Zarif met with French officials, including Macron himself.
Zarif's visit highlights Macron's close interest in resolving the international crisis between the U.S. and Iran. Last year the Americans withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was agreed between the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, China, the U.S., Britain and France – along with Germany) with Iran back in 2015. Iran agreed to freeze its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions imposed by a coalition of nations.
