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French President Emmanuel Macron and his American counterpart Donald Trump called jointly on Tuesday for a new nuclear deal with Iran. after the US leader denounced the three-year-old accord as `insane.`
`I can say that we have had very frank discussions on that. just the two of us.` Macron told a joint press conference with Trump at his side.
`We. therefore. wish from now on to work on a new deal with Iran.`
Trump`s European allies have repeatedly tried to persuade him not to walk away from the 2015 deal. which gave Iran massive sanctions relief and the guarantee of a civilian nuclear programme in return for curbs on programmes that could be used to develop an atomic weapon.
It did not tackle Western complaints about Iran`s ballistic missile programmes or support for militant groups across the Middle East.
Trump faces a May 12 deadline to decide on its fate and is demanding changes that many in European capitals believe would represent a legal breach.
`I think we will have a great shot at doing a much bigger. maybe. deal.` said Trump. stressing that any new deal would have to be built on `solid foundations.`
`This is a deal with decayed foundations. It`s a bad deal. it`s a bad structure. It`s falling down.` the US leader said. `We`re going to see what happens on the 12th.`
When asked to clarify if he meant he was pushing for a new accord. or an add-on agreement. Macron said. `I`m not saying that we move from one agreement to another.`
he French president said a new deal would have to include three additional elements: Tehran`s ballistic missile programme. its influence across the Middle East. and what happens after 2025 – when under the current accord Iran would be able to progressively restart part of its nuclear programme.
He called the initial 2015 deal only the `first pillar` of an eventual wider deal.
For months. American and European officials have been working behind the scenes to try to find a compromise over Trump`s demands to change the agreement.
