French President Emmanuel Macron, in a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), urged Tehran to release three French nationals detained in Iran and to return to full compliance with its nuclear obligations.
Posting on X, Macron said: “I met with Iranian President @drpezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. First and foremost, I reiterated my demand: Cecile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Lennart Monterlos—state hostages arbitrarily detained in Iran under inhumane conditions—must be released immediately.”
Reaffirming France’s position, he stressed, “France never abandons its children. Our stance is clear: Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.”
Macron also announced that France, along with Germany and the United Kingdom, had decided to invoke the “Snapback” mechanism in response to Iran’s non-compliance, paving the way for the reimposition of sanctions.
He further pressed Tehran to allow full access for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, ensure transparency over enriched uranium stockpiles, and resume negotiations without delay. “An agreement remains possible. Only a few hours are left. It is up to Iran to respond to the legitimate conditions we have set—for the security of the region and the stability of the world,” Macron added.
The call came as the UNGA’s annual General Debate continued, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also addressing the assembly. Zelenskyy underlined that while G7 and G20 forums play vital roles, ultimate responsibility for global peace and security lies with the entire UN membership.
