Iran’s nuclear programme nearing point of no return, according to French President Macron

Iran’s contentious uranium enrichment efforts are approaching a critical juncture, and European nations involved in the stagnant 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran should contemplate reinstating sanctions if no advancements are made, stated France’s president on Monday.

During an annual conference with French ambassadors to discuss foreign policy goals for 2025, President Emmanuel Macron identified Iran as the primary “strategic and security challenge” facing France and Europe.

“The rapid progression of the nuclear program brings us close to a point of no return,” Macron remarked. Iran maintains that its uranium enrichment is for peaceful purposes and has intensified its program since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 agreement during his first term and reimposed stringent sanctions on Tehran.

Last month, European powers France, Germany, and Britain expressed that Iran’s actions have further undermined the agreement and would increase its stockpile of highly enriched uranium without a “credible civilian justification.”

In December, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog indicated that the Islamic Republic was “dramatically” accelerating its enrichment efforts, nearing the approximately 90% threshold considered suitable for bomb-grade material. The three European nations were co-signatories to the 2015 agreement, in which Iran committed to limiting its enrichment activities, perceived by the West as a covert attempt to develop nuclear weapons, in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

French, German, and British diplomats are scheduled to meet with their Iranian counterparts on January 13, following a previous meeting last month aimed at exploring the potential for serious negotiations in the coming months to ease tensions with Tehran, especially with Trump set to return to the White House on January 20.

Macron indicated that in the upcoming months, it will be necessary to consider whether to activate the mechanism for reinstating sanctions, referencing the expiration of the 2015 agreement in October 2025.

He also highlighted that Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for Russia represent significant threats to Europe, which will be a key focus in diplomatic discussions with Trump once he assumes office.