French President Emmanuel Macron hinted at the possibility of imposing sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program, while stressing the need to add to the Nuclear Deal two clauses pertaining to Tehran’s ballistic activity and discussions on curbing its control over the region.
“It is possible to impose sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missiles,” he said, noting that the Nuclear Deal must be maintained by adding “two pillars: negotiations on Iran’s ballistic activity with sanctions if necessary, and a strategy to limit Iranian hegemony in the entire region.”
“I will try to convince all those who want to reconsider the 2015 agreement, our American partners and the Saudi neighbor,” he said.
Macron announced at a press conference in Dubai on Thursday that he would travel to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the issues of Lebanon, Yemen and the region in general.
On the other hand, the French president described his visit to Abu Dhabi and Dubai as very fruitful, underlining that the UAE was a “key partner” for France, especially in defense, praising its decision to buy two warships manufactured by the Naval Group.
Macron exchanged with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, talks on bilateral relations and strategic partnership, as well as ways to develop cooperation at various levels.
“We are partners and friends, and our friendship is firm and strong and based on the mutual respect and common national interests,” the Dubai ruler said.
Earlier on Thursday, Macron met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, with whom he discussed relations of cooperation and friendship, as well as developments in the region.
In remarks following the meeting, the French president expressed his pleasure to visit the UAE and to participate in the opening of the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi.
He noted that talks with Sheikh Mohammed were very productive and tackled issues of mutual interest, especially cooperation in the framework of the development of bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, the UAE-France Business Forum, which was held in Dubai on Thursday, called for strategic cooperation in innovation, mobility and sustainability.
The forum was organized by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the French Embassy in the UAE, Business France - the national agency supporting the internationalization of the French economy, and the French Business Council in Dubai. The event saw the participation of ministers, key decisionmakers, and government and business leaders from the UAE and France.
Addressing the participants, Macron highlighted the shared values of culture, civilization and economy between the UAE and France. He spoke about the need to “create a new world for the young generation, based on respect, tolerance, and reason,” and emphasized the role of business and education to achieve these goals. He also noted that the UAE and France are making great strides in promoting innovation, and building smart cities.
Meanwhile, the Dubai Chamber signed a joint memorandum of understanding with the Paris Chamber of Commerce, which includes about 650,000 companies operating in the Paris region, which contribute to around 30 percent of France’s GDP.
