France committed to nuclear deal despite Trump decision

Meeting with IAEA head days after US president threatened to cancel accord, French foreign minister says agreement ‘remains valid’

By AP 19 October 2017, 11:02 pm

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French President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Yukiya Amano for a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PARIS — France has reaffirmed its support for the Iran nuclear deal following the decision by US President Donald Trump to no longer back it in its current form.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian said Thursday after a meeting in Paris with head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, that the deal “remains valid despite the decision of the president of the United States not to certify its implementation.”

Trump announced last week that he would not re-certify the deal to Congress and would terminate the Obama-era pact if Congress can’t come up with new legislation satisfying him on the agreement.

“We didn’t have enough time yet to observe the attitude of Iran,” Amano said. “Yet I can tell you the Iranians are very careful and we continue our controls and inspections without any problem.”

He also met with French President Emmanuel Macron, who encouraged the IAEA to ensure strict adherence to the deal “in all its aspects.”