Macron denies receiving OK to give message to Iran in name of G-7 leaders

BIARRITZ, France — French President Emmanuel Macron says he has no formal mandate to speak for the G-7 leaders in delivering a message to Iran, but says he would be able to address the issue in the context of what they agreed to during a dinner.

His comments come after US President Donald Trump denied agreeing to anything regarding how to negotiate with Iran. Macron described the dinner as “an informal discussion, free, intense, extremely long” that touched especially on the fires in the Amazon, the Ukrainian crisis and Russia.

He says Trump is the president of the “world’s number one power” who has to defend his voters’ interest, and had made his views on Iran and other subjects quite clear. Macron is walking a fine line as the host of this year’s G-7 summit of major democracies, which is focused on the threat of a global recession, climate change and other major issues.

— AP