France condemns Iran's plans to build new uranium enrichment facility

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - France on Thursday condemned Iran's announcement that it intends to construct a new uranium enrichment facility, warning that such a move risks further escalating tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Speaking at the weekly press briefing of the Foreign Ministry, spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said Paris views the announcement “with concern” and called on Iranian authorities to abandon the plan.

“We condemn Iran’s announcement regarding the construction of a new enrichment facility,” Lemoine said. “This is yet another indication that Iran is deliberately escalating the nuclear issue.”

He urged Tehran to “return to the negotiating table” and refrain from further steps that could worsen the standoff over its nuclear activities.

Lemoine reiterated France’s commitment to diplomacy and said any action that undermines regional and global security will be met with firm opposition.

“We call on Iran to reverse this course and to engage in meaningful dialogue,” he added.

The escalation comes after the UN nuclear watchdog’s board of governors on Thursday formally found Iran in breach of its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years.

Iran condemned the IAEA resolution as yet another “instrumental use of the Board for politically motivated purposes, devoid of any technical or legal basis.”

The resolution was pushed by the three European signatories of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal—Germany, France, and the UK—and supported by the US.

The IAEA resolution comes amid indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, mediated by Oman.

The next round of talks is scheduled to take place on Sunday in Muscat, Oman's capital. The main sticking point remains Iran’s uranium enrichment program.

While the US demands a complete halt to enrichment, Iranian negotiators insist the program is non-negotiable and will continue with or without a deal.