French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for the first time in three years, in an effort to de-escalate the Iranian crisis.
Macron had refused to speak with Putin since the Russian leader ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, official Paris has grown increasingly frustrated that the lack of communication with Moscow is not resolving various crises and is leaving diplomatic events exposed to the relationship between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Following the two-hour conversation, a French spokesperson announced that Macron was optimistic about the possibility of Russia pressuring Iran to resume cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Earlier today, Tehran confirmed it is ending all cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, including banning its inspectors from visiting any Iranian nuclear facilities, The Guardian reported.
