DUBAI: Iran rejected French calls for wider international talks over its nuclear and military ambitions, saying on Friday it would only discuss it existing 2015 atomic pact with world powers, state TV reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron had said a day earlier that Paris and Washington both wanted to stop Tehran getting nuclear arms and new talks should focus on curbing its ballistic missiles program and on other issues.
But Iran鈥檚 foreign ministry said it would not hold any discussions beyond the 2015 pact which US President Donald Trump abandoned last year as he pressed for tougher restrictions.
鈥淯nder this circumstances, talking about issues beyond the deal ... will lead to further mistrust among the remaining signatories of the deal,鈥� foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in a statement.
The United States pulled out of the 2015 agreement 鈥� under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief- saying it did was not permanent and did not do enough to control Iran鈥檚 missiles and regional influence.
France and other European signatories to the deal have said they wanted to save it, but many of their companies have canceled deals with Tehran, under financial pressure from the United States.
鈥淭he Europeans have so far failed to fulfill their commitments under the deal and ... to protect Iran鈥檚 interests after America鈥檚 illegal withdrawal,鈥� Mousavi added in his statement, according to state TV.
Trump said on Thursday that Iran was failing as a nation, under the pressure of his sanctions, and repeated his call for talks with the leadership in Tehran.
Mousavi dismissed Trump鈥檚 comments as 鈥渞epetitive, groundless and paradoxical鈥� and said they did not merit a response.
Iran鈥檚 top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dismissed Washington鈥檚 call for negotiations.
However, Iran鈥檚 pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani has signaled Iran鈥檚 willingness to hold talks if the US showed its respect and returned to the nuclear accord.