War in Ukraine: Emmanuel Macron calls on Iran to immediately end support for Russia

Emmanuel Macron, in a phone interview with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, called on Iran this Saturday to “immediately end support” to Russia in the war in Ukraine.

Emmanuel Macron spoke with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi this Saturday, June 10. The French head of state “warned of the seriousness, security and humanitarian consequences of Iran’s supply of drones to Russia, and called on Tehran to immediately end its support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” according to a statement.

During the phone conversation, which lasted about 90 minutes, Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart “discussed how to improve relations, especially the ongoing negotiations (on nuclear energy) and regional developments,” an Iranian official said. According to the French president, Emmanuel Macron “expressed his concern about the current trajectory of the Iranian nuclear program”, and “recalled the desire of France and its European partners to find a diplomatic solution to this question”.

“He stressed the importance of Tehran taking concrete and verifiable escalation measures, and that its international obligations, as well as commitments made to the International Atomic Energy Agency, must be implemented fully and without delay,” the Élysée said.

The talks between the two presidents took place amid stalled negotiations between Iran and the international community to renew the Iran nuclear deal.

To the US, Russia received “hundreds” of Iranian attack drones

John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said on Friday that Russia is receiving materials from Iran to build a drone factory on its soil and that the site “could be fully operational by early next year.”

The U.S. government released a satellite image of the planned site for the plant in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, about 900 kilometers east of Moscow.

As of last May, the US estimated that Russia had received “hundreds” of Iranian attack drones, and accused it of recently using them to “attack Kiev and terrorize the Ukrainian population”.

Tehran has repeatedly dismissed US allegations of arms supplies to Russia as “baseless”, saying it is not a party to the Ukrainian conflict.