WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday discussed a broad range of trade and security issues, including the situation in Iran and the broader Middle East, with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on the phone, the White House said.
The two leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to coordinating closely to address global challenges, the statement read.
Trump tweeted that he had “a very good phone call” with Macron and “discussed various subjects, in particular Security and Trade.”
Before Trump’s Monday decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran, which was once lifted under an Iran nuclear deal, the European Union (EU) and three of its heavyweight members, Britain, France and Germany, said they would maintain economic ties with Tehran and “are determined to protect European economic operators engaged in legitimate business with Iran.”
After its withdrawal from the deal in May, Washington has worked to block Iran’s international financial transactions and reducing its oil exports to zero, both are said to undermine the interests of Europe.
The EU’s updated Blocking Statute entered into force Tuesday as a countermeasure to Washington’s reimposition of sanctions on Iran.The trans-Atlantic ties have also been at odds over trade and sharing defense expenditure. (AP)
