Mon Jan 06 14:53:13 UTC 2025: ## Macron Flags Iran as Major Threat, Vows Cooperation with Trump Administration
**PARIS** – French President Emmanuel Macron has identified Iran’s nuclear program as the primary strategic and security challenge facing Europe in the Middle East, expressing deep concern over Tehran’s accelerating nuclear ambitions and support for regional conflicts. Speaking to French ambassadors on Monday, Macron warned that Iran’s enhanced uranium enrichment brings the world closer to a “point of no return.”
Macron criticized Iran’s backing of what he termed “dangerous groups” throughout the Middle East and its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. He highlighted the precarious situation created by the 2018 US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which led to the re-imposition of sanctions and Iran’s subsequent escalation of its nuclear activities. While Iranian leaders deny seeking nuclear weapons, recent Israeli strikes against Iranian allies have fueled fears of a potential Iranian push for nuclear deterrence.
The return of Donald Trump to the White House later this month further complicates the situation. Macron acknowledged the heightened tensions that Trump’s previous “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani created. Despite Trump’s appointment of several foreign policy hawks to his new cabinet, Macron stated that France will engage with the incoming administration on the “Iranian question.”
In addition to the Iran concerns, Macron addressed the ongoing war in Ukraine. He urged the US to encourage Russia to negotiate, emphasizing that a Ukrainian capitulation would be detrimental to both Europe and the US, severely damaging Western credibility. While acknowledging the need for realistic discussions on territorial issues, Macron underscored the importance of avoiding any compromise that would cede Ukrainian territory. He stressed the continuing need for Western support for Ukraine.
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