Tehran rejects French Pres. anti-Iran remarks

TEHRAN, Jan 8 (KUNA) -- Iran dismissed on Wednesday French President Emmanuel Macron's remark that Iran poses a "strategic and primary security challenge" for France, the region, and Europe.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, said in a statement that Macron's remarks are "baseless and contradictory," urging France to reconsider its "unconstructive approach toward peace and stability in West Asia." Baqaei argued that the immediate and real threat to regional peace and stability lies in the Israeli occupation, which continues its occupation and genocide in Palestine, while expanding its military aggression across the region with full support from the US and some European countries, including France.
He also dismissed Macron's comments on Iran's nuclear program, asserting that Iran's nuclear activities are peaceful, conducted within international laws, and subject to strict and continuous monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Macron had stated during the French Ambassadors' Conference at the Elysee Palace on Monday that "Iran poses a strategic and primary security challenge for France, the region, and all Europeans," adding that Tehran's acceleration of its nuclear program "leads us nearly to the point of no return." (end) mw.ahm