Biden-Macron Conversation: Readiness to Cooperate on Ukraine, Syria, and Iran’s Nuclear Program

Joe Biden, the elected president of the United States, held separate telephone conversations on Tuesday, November 10, with the leaders of France, Germany, and Ireland, as well as the British Prime Minister.

According to a statement from the office of President-elect Biden and Harris, in the telephone conversation between the elected president and the French president, Joe Biden thanked Emmanuel Macron for congratulating him on the American elections.

Joe Biden emphasized the necessity of strengthening relations between the United States and France in this call.

According to the statement, Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron discussed a range of issues including combating coronavirus, climate change, human rights, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO.

The statement clarified: “He (Joe Biden) also expressed his readiness for joint cooperation on global challenges, including security and development in Africa, conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and Iran’s nuclear program.”

No further details about this conversation have been released.

Donald Trump’s administration withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, in April 2018 and imposed extensive sanctions against Tehran.

Despite this action by the US government, France, along with Germany and Britain, remained in the JCPOA agreement and sought to preserve it.

Joe Biden had emphasized during his election campaign that his administration’s policy would be a return to the JCPOA, but only after Iran fulfills its nuclear commitments and returns to the red lines established in the JCPOA.

The administration of the elected president will begin its work on January 20 next year.

This comes as the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions against Iran on Tuesday.

Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, said on Tuesday: “Today the United States sanctioned members of an illegal Iranian procurement network. We remain firmly committed to countering any activity that threatens our national security.”

Mike Pompeo added: “Our message is clear: if you deal with Iranian weapons proliferators, you expose yourself to the risk of US sanctions.”

Elliot Abrams, the US Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela, also emphasized on Tuesday that American Democrats and Republicans have “broad agreement” on countering Iran’s actions and policies in the region.

Elliot Abrams assured that the continuation of the current US administration’s policy toward Iran would persist after the next administration begins work in Washington.

The US Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela said that the goal of Donald Trump’s administration was also to reach negotiations with Iran, and therefore whoever is in the White House in ten weeks will be pursuing the same goal.

Source: Radio Farda