Macron: Trump Withdrawal from Iran Deal 'Could Mean War'

Macron told Der Spiegel that US President Donald Trump's threats to abandon the deal could open "Pandora's box," leading the US and European allies toward armed conflict.

"That would mean opening Pandora's box, it could mean war," Macron said. "I don't believe that Donald Trump wants war."

Macron made a strong push for the US to remain in the deal during his visit last month to the White House, but told reporters afterward that he thought Trump would decide to exit the deal.

“My view — I don’t know what your president will decide — is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons,” Macron said.

Such a move "can work in the short term but it’s very insane in the medium to long term,” he added.

The US president in January set a 120-day deadline for US lawmakers and European allies to “fix” his predecessor Barack Obama's main foreign policy achievement or face a US exit.

Since the nuclear deal was signed in Vienna in July 2015, the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly confirmed Iran’s compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA.

In a video message released on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated that Tehran will by no means agree to renegotiate the JCPOA or add any new terms to it, warning that Iran will choose how to respond to a US withdrawal from the nuclear deal.   

“If the US continues to violate the agreement, or if it withdraws all together, we will exercise our right to respond in a manner of our choosing. Bluster or threats won’t get the US a new deal particularly as it is not honoring the deal it has already made,” he said.