Military clash ‘almost inevitable’ if Iran nuclear talks fail, France says

Diplomatic failure on Iran deal could lead to military confrontation, French foreign minister warns.

France’s foreign minister has warned of a potential military confrontation if a new agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme cannot be reached.

Speaking after a high-level meeting on Iran chaired by President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the “window of opportunity” for diplomacy was narrow with Tehran.

European powers are seeking to create a diplomatic path with a view to reaching an agreement to curb Iran’s uranium enrichment activity by the middle of the year and in advance of an October 2025 deadline, when UN sanctions related to a 2015 accord on Iran’s nuclear programme with world powers expire.

Tehran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, insisting its programme is peaceful.

“The window of opportunity is narrow. We only have a few months until the expiration of this (2015) accord. In the event of failure, a military confrontation would seem to be almost inevitable,” Barrot told parliament.

“Our confidence and our conviction remain intact,” Barrot said. “Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.” He stressed that France’s priority is securing a “verifiable and durable” agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear activities.

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which provided sanctions relief in exchange for nuclear restrictions, collapsed after US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018 and reimposed crippling economic sanctions.

Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal’s limits on uranium enrichment, producing stocks at a high level of fissile purity, well above what Western powers say is justifiable for a civilian energy programme and close to that required for nuclear warheads.

The European powers have sought to raise pressure on Iran to coax it back into nuclear discussions. They have held several rounds of talks with Iran, including at the technical level, last week, to try to lay the groundwork.

But the Trump administration has focused initially on a campaign of “maximum pressure”.

Trump, who has urged Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to engage immediately in negotiations, threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if it did not come to an agreement over its nuclear programme.

Khamenei has promised retaliation for any attack.

Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, in talks with his Dutch counterpart on Wednesday, reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to peaceful nuclear development under international law, the official Tasnim news agency reported.

Araqchi reiterated that Iran’s nuclear programme complies with international regulations. He said Tehran remains open to genuine negotiations, provided they occur on equal terms and without coercion, threats, or intimidation.

He also condemned recent US statements about Iran, calling them unacceptable and a violation of international principles. Araqchi warned that Iran would respond swiftly and decisively to any attack on its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national interests.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies