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France will hold an emergency defense cabinet meeting Sunday to address regional security following US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, the French presidency announced.
President Emmanuel Macron has spoken with several leaders, including Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, and will engage in further discussions with European and regional counterparts throughout the day.
The presidency said that France is expediting the evacuation of its citizens who wish to leave Iran and Israel.
France distanced itself from the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday, warning against further escalation and reaffirming its opposition to a nuclear-armed Iran.
Paris was not involved in the attacks or their planning, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said.
“We noted with concern the US strikes carried out against three Iranian nuclear program sites,” Barrot said.
“France has repeatedly expressed its very firm opposition to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons,” he added and called on all sides to avoid steps that “could lead to an extension of the conflict.”
The Iranian Isfahan nuclear facilities struck earlier in the day held either no nuclear material or only small amounts of natural or low-enriched uranium, limiting any radioactive contamination to the affected buildings, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Sunday.
“This nuclear complex in Esfahan – one of the key sites of the Iranian nuclear program – has repeatedly been attacked and extensively damaged,” Director General Rafael Grossi said.
“Based on our analysis of the nuclear material present, we don’t see any risk of off-site contamination. Nevertheless, as I have repeatedly stated, nuclear facilities should never be attacked.”
The United States had crossed one of Iran’s most serious red lines by attacking its nuclear facilities, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday.
"The US crossed a very big red line by attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities," he said.
Speaking in Istanbul, Araghchi said the US bore full responsibility for the consequences of its actions and said Tehran would respond using all tools at its disposal.
“The attack on peaceful nuclear installations marks a dangerous precedent and will not go unanswered,” he said.
Araghchi criticized Washington for undermining diplomacy and giving what he called a green light to Israel’s military operations.
"They betrayed diplomacy, they betrayed negotiations...Iran has done nothing wrong, it is difficult to understand why we were attacked on a false claim."
Regarding the overnight US attacks on nuclear site, he said "the extent of damages are being investigated."
"The international community should condemn the attacks."
Tehran reserves its right under the UN Charter to defend itself and respond proportionately to acts of aggression, he added.
