Paris, May 7 (SANA) French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Thursday that lifting international sanctions on Iran was not possible as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
Speaking to French radio station RTL, Barrot said Iran was seeking sanctions relief, particularly from the United States, in exchange for concessions related to its nuclear program.
“However, it is out of the question to lift any sanctions as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed,” Barrot said.
He described international waterways as a “shared asset of humanity,” adding that closing the strait or using it as a means of pressure was unacceptable.
Barrot also said a lasting political settlement in the Middle East would require what he described as substantial concessions from Iran and a change in its regional approach.
Iran has imposed strict restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of its conflict with the United States and Israel on Feb. 28. Tehran remains under extensive U.S. and international sanctions linked to its nuclear program.
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