French President Emmanuel Macron, during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), urged Iran to immediately release three French citizens held under harsh conditions and stressed that Tehran must comply with its nuclear obligations.
In a post on social media platform X, Macron wrote, “I met with Iranian President @drpezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. First and foremost, I reiterated my demand: Cecile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Lennart Monterlos — state hostages arbitrarily detained in Iran under inhumane conditions — must be released immediately.”
He emphasised France’s firm stance, stating, “France never abandons its children. Our position is clear: Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.”
Macron further addressed the issue of Iran’s nuclear non-compliance, announcing coordinated action with Germany and the United Kingdom. “In light of Iran’s failure to comply with its nuclear obligations, together with Germany and the United Kingdom, we have decided to trigger the Snapback mechanism, allowing sanctions to be reimposed on Iran,” he stated.
Highlighting the urgency for renewed negotiations, Macron said, “I once again made clear to the Iranian President the demands on which we will not compromise: full access for IAEA inspectors in Iran, transparency regarding enriched material stockpiles, and the immediate resumption of negotiations.”
“An agreement remains possible. Only a few hours are left. It is up to Iran to respond to the legitimate conditions we have set. For the security of the region, for the stability of the world,” he added.
Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly’s annual General Debate continued into its second day on Wednesday (local time), with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivering brief remarks that ended with a pointed appeal to the UN for action.
Zelenskyy stressed that while the G7 and G20 play important roles, ultimate responsibility lies with the entire UN membership.
