French President Emmanuel Macron has pressed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to leverage Iran’s influence to de-escalate the conflict in Lebanon, where Israel has intensified its strikes on Hezbollah.
Macron met with Masoud Pezeshkian, who has positioned himself as a reformist within Iran's clerical regime, on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
He urged Pezeshkian to leverage Iran’s influence to reduce tensions in Lebanon, where Israel is targeting Hezbollah, a group backed by Tehran.
Macron also raised concerns about Iran's support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
He reiterated France’s condemnation of aggression against Lebanon and called for the release of three French nationals imprisoned in Iran due to their involvement in the 2022 riots.
France involved in multilateral diplomacy to prevent Iran from attacking Israel
First meeting
Macron had already spoken twice with Pezeshkian by phone about avoiding further military escalation. In August he urged restraint from Iran after Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh's death during an Israeli operation in Tehran.
The New York meeting, however, was the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders.
Pezeshkian on Monday claimed Iran had restrained from retaliating after Western discussions hinted at progress towards a Gaza ceasefire.
He also dismissed allegations that Iran supplied missiles to Russia – a claim that has led to European sanctions targeting air links with Tehran.
The United States has publicly voiced skepticism about dealing with Pezeshkian, who has cast himself as a moderate.
The US doubts how much influence he carries in a system where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ultimately calls the shots.
(with newswires)
