Al Jazeera:

French President Emmanuel Macron has called Iran the main “strategic and security challenge” for Europeans in the Middle East, raising concern over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Speaking to French ambassadors posted around the world on Monday, the French president also criticised Iran over backing for what he called “dangerous groups” across the Middle East and supporting Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.

France is party to the 2015 nuclear deal that saw Iran curb its nuclear programme in exchange for lifting international sanctions against its economy – a deal that was nixed by the United States in 2018.

After withdrawing from the agreement, the US reapplied sanctions on the Iranian economy and imposed more penalties.

In response, Iran began enriching uranium at higher levels, shortening the time it needs to acquire the material for a nuclear weapon from months to weeks.

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