The US has warned that Russia is “obtaining materials from Iran to build an unmanned aerial vehicle factory” on its soil and that the base will be “fully operational early next year”.
Elysee said Emmanuel Macron, in a phone interview with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, called on Iran on Saturday to “immediately end support” by halting the supply of drones to Russia in its war in Ukraine.
The French head of state “warned of the serious, security and humanitarian consequences of Iran supplying drones to Russia and called on Tehran to immediately end its support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” according to a statement.
A White House spokesman warned on Friday that Russia was “obtaining materials from Iran to build a drone factory” on its soil and that the base would be “fully operational early next year”.
Washington accuses Moscow of possessing Iranian drones
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.
During the phone conversation, which lasted about 90 minutes on Saturday, Emmanuel Macron and Ibrahim Raisi “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 fully and without delay implementing its international obligations, as well as commitments made to the International Atomic Energy Agency,” the March 4, Élysée adds.
“Relief” after the release of two French in Iran
The talks between the two presidents took place amid stalled negotiations between Iran and the international community to renew the Iran nuclear deal.
The deal, known by its acronym JCPOA, limited Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
In addition, Emmanuel Macron reiterated his “relief following the release of two French nationals detained in Iran on May 12”. But he “reiterated his deep concern over the situation of the four French nationals still detained in Iran and called again for their immediate release”.
Four French nationals are detained in Iran: Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, arrested on May 7, 2022, Louis Arnaud, arrested on September 28 and whose identity has not yet been made public. Paris condemns arbitrary detention and considers them “state hostages”.
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