France’s Macron does not see room for progress on Iran nuclear deal right now

PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said he did not believe any new proposals could help revive a nuclear deal with Iran in the near future, adding that a “new framework” will likely be needed to address the matter.

Asked on France Inter radio whether he believed talks on aimed at renewing an agreement between Tehran and world powers could be revived after significant setbacks in recent months, Macron said: “I would still be very cautious.”

“I don’t think there will be new proposals which can be made right now [to save the nuclear deal]”, he added.

Macron said the current political situation in Iran, where protests have broken out against the government, changed the situation “a lot” and “fragilised” the likelihood of reaching a deal with the country.

Western powers last week said it was “essential and urgent” for Iran to explain uranium traces found at three sites in the country. Iran has agreed to a visit by the U.N. nuclear watchdog this month to provide answers on the matter.

The issue has become an obstacle in wider talks to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, since Tehran has demanded a closure of the IAEA’s investigation in those talks.

Macron on Monday said he hoped to convene an international meeting of regional powers, including Iran, by year-end.

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel/John Irish;Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)