Macron asks Iran for ‘clear gestures’ on nuclear inspections

French president asks Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, for Iran’s full cooperation with UN watchdog on nuclear inspections.

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, for “clear gestures” and an immediate return of Tehran to the terms of its nuclear deal with world powers, according to his office. Macron made a telephone call to Rouhani on Tuesday, days after Iran’s foreign ministry ruled out holding an informal meeting with the United States and European countries to discuss ways to revive the landmark 2015 accord, insisting that Washington must first lift all its unilateral sanctions. A statement by Macron’s office said the French leader also asked Rouhani for Iran’s full cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog on inspections and expressed his “deepest concern” over Iranian violations of the deal that was signed in Austria’s capital.