Emmanuel Macron: Any nuclear talks with Iran would be 'strict' and should include Saudi Arabia

French President warns that Iran is edging closer to having a nuclear weapon

French President Emmanuel Macron, wearing a protective face mask. Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron said any new negotiations on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal would be very "strict" and should include Saudi Arabia, Al Arabiya reported on Friday.

Mr Macron told the Saudi-owned channel that a very short time remained to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon.

In 2018, the Islamic Republic began breaching the international deal's limits on uranium enrichment activity after former President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal.

Mr Trump then went on to re-impose sweeping economic sanctions on Tehran.

The new administration of US President Joe Biden has pledged to re-join the deal, but only after Tehran fully complies with its terms.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tehran would not reverse an acceleration of its nuclear programme before Washington lifts sanctions.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have said that Gulf Arab states should be involved in any talks this time, which they say should also address Iran's ballistic missile programme and its support for proxies around the Middle East.

President Macron stressed the need to avoid what he called the mistake of excluding other countries in the region when the 2015 deal was negotiated, according to Al Arabiya.

Saudi Arabia, which is locked in several proxy wars in the region with Tehran, including in Yemen, supported Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran.