Sputnik - French President Emmanuel Macron said that nuclear deal with Iran should be supplemented and it is necessary to continue negotiations, including on missile program.




The EU states intend to�ensure the presence of�their companies in�Iran despite�the US withdrawal from�the Joint Comprehensive Plan of�Action (JCPOA), also known as�the Iran nuclear deal, French President Emmanuel Macron said on�Thursday.
"We had a rich discussion on�Iran. The nuclear agreement of�2015 is an important element of�peace and security in�the region, and we decided to�support it, whatever the US decision was. We promised to�take political measures that would allow our enterprises to�stay in�Iran," he said.


The nuclear deal with�Iran must not only be preserved, but�also supplemented and expanded to�include ways to�solve the missile problem and questions about�Iran's role in�the region, Macron said.
"Europe will defend its sovereignty in�the field of�trade," he said before�the EU-Western Balkans summit in�Sofia.


"International companies with�interests in�many countries make their own choices according to�their own interests. They should continue to�have this freedom," he added.

"But what is important is that companies and especially medium-sized companies which are perhaps less exposed to�other markets, American or others, can make this choice freely," Emmanuel Macron said.

Earlier, President of�the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said that: "At this point, we have to�replace the United States, which as�an international actor has lost vigor, and because of�it, in�the long term, influence."

On May 8, US President�Donald Trump�announced his decision to�withdraw the United States from�the Joint Comprehensive Plan of�Action (JCPOA). He also vowed to�reinstate the sanctions against�Iran that were lifted as�a result of�the agreement.

Tehran expressed his opposition to�Trump's move, as�well as�German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron expressed concerns over�Washington's decision.

The JCPOA has ensured the peaceful nature of�Iran's nuclear program in�exchange for�sanctions relief since�it was signed by�the P5+1, EU, and Tehran in�2015.