Q – On Sunday, American National Security Advisor John Bolton did not rule out sanctions on European companies doing business with Iran. Have you received further clarification from the U.S. about any potential new sanctions?

A – The Iranian nuclear agreement, which was endorsed by the UN Security Council, remains in effect. France regrets the American decision to withdraw from it. It does not share that decision. Like all of the other parties, it remains in the agreement. Together with its European partners, it will continue to implement its commitments on the lifting of sanctions as long as Iran continues to rigorously implement its own obligations on the nuclear issue.

France rejects the principle of extraterritorial sanctions. We ask the United States to ensure that sanctions do not apply to French and European companies that trade with Iran or invest there, in keeping with the nuclear agreement. France is acting to protect its companies. Together with its European partners it has established contacts with Washington on this issue.

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke out clearly on this subject. Tomorrow he and Bruno Le Maire, minister of the economy and finance, will meet with French companies that do business in Iran. In the evening, he will meet in Brussels with the German and British foreign ministers, the EU High Representative, and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.