Macron calls for return to dialogue on Iran nuclear issue during visit to Greenland

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron called Sunday for a return to discussions between the parties involved in the Iranian nuclear issue, saying it is a collective responsibility to prevent further escalation and bring negotiations back on track.

Macron emphasized that "no one wants to see Iran acquire nuclear weapons" but said a renewed diplomatic process is urgently needed.

"Iranian nuclear proliferation constitutes a threat to Israel and to ourselves," he added.

He stressed that the US, due to its strategic leverage over Israel and its role in past nuclear agreements, holds a crucial position in re-engaging all sides.

“I do not believe that Russia, which is currently engaged in a high-intensity conflict and has chosen not to respect the United Nations Charter, can act as a mediator,” Macron said.

"Together with European partners, the US must use its influence to bring everyone back to the negotiating table."

His comments came during a joint press conference in the capital Nuuk with Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Macron also reaffirmed France’s support for Greenland’s sovereignty, responding to previous remarks by US President Donald Trump, who had expressed an interest in acquiring the Arctic territory.

He sent "a message of support for your territorial integrity, for your borders. In short, everyone in France and in the EU thinks that Greenland is not for sale, cannot be taken.”

He also announced France’s decision to open a consulate general in Nuuk to enhance bilateral ties and deepen cooperation in areas such as security, energy, education and economic development.

Greenland, "due to its strategic location…and its natural resources, has become a coveted space and the object of predatory ambitions," he said.

He stressed that Greenland's territorial integrity and the inviolability of its borders are not negotiable.

"I want to send a message of European solidarity and support from France to Denmark, Greenland and the Greenlandic people," he added.

Turning to the Israel-Iran conflict, he said that France has not participated in any Israeli "defensive operation" because it was "not asked.”

Nielsen thanked Macron for his visit and for being an “active supporter of Greenland and the Kingdom during challenging times,” expressing gratitude on behalf of the Greenlandic people.

Frederiksen also described Macron’s visit as a symbol of European unity during global uncertainty.

"Thank you for your leadership and for standing at the forefront of principles that we have fought together to achieve and that we are now fighting to protect," she said.

During the visit, the leaders toured a glacier, flew together by helicopter and sailed on the Danish frigate Niels Juel, where they discussed Arctic security, climate change and economic cooperation.

Following the visit to Greenland, Macron is expected to travel to Canada to attend the annual G7 summit from Sunday to Tuesday.

Macron is the first foreign head of state to visit Greenland since Trump sparked controversy by expressing an interest in annexing the territory.

Since returning to the Oval Office in January, Trump has repeatedly expressed an interest in acquiring Greenland despite Denmark's firm rejections.

Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark since 1979, has been part of the Danish realm since the 18th century.

Located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, it is rich in mineral resources and holds significant strategic value.

Both Denmark and Greenland have rejected any proposal to sell the territory. A January survey found that an overwhelming 85% of Greenlanders oppose joining the US.

In March, Prime Minister Nielsen urged European nations to support the territory, saying that it “is not and will never be for sale.”

“Greenland is run by the Greenlandic people, and that will never change,” he added.