Macron assures Israel of ‘vigilance’ on Iran nuclear pact

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday assured visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his “vigilance” regarding the 2015 nuclear accord reached by Western powers with Iran.

Netanyahu “expressed his concerns regarding the Iranian regime,” Macron told reporters with Netanyahu at his side. “I assured him of our vigilance, in particular over the strict implementation of the accord... in all its provisions.”

Netanyahu was a vocal opponent of the deal, which saw sanctions against Iran eased in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. The French presidency said Sunday’s meeting, the first official talks between Macron and Netanyahu, would be an occasion to “signal our lack of complacency towards Iran”.

Israel was rattled last month when Tehran launched fired six missiles from western Iran targeting bases of the Islamic State group in retaliation for attacks in Tehran that killed 17 people in the first IS-claimed operations in the country. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Iran is a threat to the Jewish state, the Middle East and potentially the world.