French President Emmanuel Macron had a telephone conversation today with Iran’s new president, Massoud Pezeghian, to whom he said “everything must be done to avoid a military escalation” following the resurgence of tensions between Israel and Lebanon.

The French president asked Tehran to “call for restraint”, considering that a new war “would have devastating consequences for the region”, the Elysee said. “He also called on the Iranian president to put an end to the alarming escalation of Iran’s nuclear program”. and to comply with international organizations, and favored “a diplomatic solution”.

Macron also “warned” President Pezheskian “not to continue supporting” Tehran” in Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.”

The French president “congratulated” his counterpart, a reformer elected on July 5, “for assuming his duties” after his election victory but stressed that “real changes” are “necessary” in Iran. He told his interlocutor that “the quick release of the three French citizens who have been unjustly held hostage in Iranian prisons for two years is a basic demand and a necessary condition for the improvement” of relations between Paris and Tehran.