MNA – Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman said that France is trying to deescalate tensions around but has not yet offered any serious proposal.











“Up to now, there are no suggestions that can be undeniably counted on,” Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Monday.

“The French President, as a member of 4+1, has initiated measures to deescalate tensions and the Islamic Republic of Iran has announced that it welcomes these efforts and doesn’t deny them,” he said.

Pointing to diplomatic exchanges between Iran and France and also several phone conversations between the two countries’ presidents, Mousavi said it is natural that some suggestions would be put forward but none of them are certain.

The remarks came as some media outlets claim that France has proposed to a credit line of $15bn to run the European payment channel with Tehran, INSTEX. Mousavi highlighted that these are just media ‘speculations’.

After the US’ withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018, the European signatories to the deal said they were still trying to keep the accord alive by launching the long-awaited INSTEX to help Iran reap some benefits from the deal.

Iran says as long as the mechanism does not cover its oil revenues, INSTEX is of no use to the country.

Meanwhile, in response to US withdrawal the EU’s inaction, Iran has introduced two phases of its measures to reduce its JCPOA commitments. Tehran's moves come after its "strategic patience" wore thin after a year of waiting for the European nations to normalize trade ties with Iran.