French Foreign Minister Yves Le Drian delivers a speech at the annual French ambassadors' conference in Paris. File. Reuters
French Foreign Minister Yves Le Drian delivers a speech at the annual French ambassadors' conference in Paris. File. Reuters

French Foreign Minister: Iran cannot avoid talks on missiles and meddling



Iran "cannot avoid" talks on contentious issues like its ballistic missile program or meddling in conflicts in the Middle East, if it wants Europe to uphold the nuclear deal, the French Foreign Minister said today.

Speaking at a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Vienna on Thursday, Jean-Yves Le Drian said: "Iran must respect the fundamentals of the JCPOA [nuclear deal] and I think that is the case, but Iran cannot avoid discussions, negotiations on three other major subjects that worry us."

France, at the same time as being one of Iran's closest defender's in Europe, is coaxing the country to soften its stance towards the West.

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Read more:

Ayatollah Khamenei: Iran will scrap nuclear deal if it doesn't serve interests

Iran arrests 'dozens of spies' in new crackdown

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Yesterday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the country could scrap the deal if it doesn't serve their national interests.

In minutes from a meeting with the cabinet and President Hassan Rouhani, Mr Khamenei said "there is no problem with continuing relations and negotiations with Europe, but hope should be abandoned regarding matters such as the nuclear deal".

The message would have pushed the Iran question to the front of EU Foreign Ministers minds, ahead of their meeting in Vienna.

EU foreign ministers are working to uphold the deal, which provides relief from sanctions on Iran in exchange for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons after the United States pull out of the deal on the orders of US President Donald Trump. The deal was struck in 2015 under then-President Barack Obama.

Ministers will also discuss situations in Yemen, Libya and Syria, as well as denuclearisation of North Korea, according to an EU website.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
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SQUADS

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Wahab Riaz

Sri Lanka: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Rangana Herath, Lakshan Sandakan, Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Gamage

Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) and Nigel Llong (ENG)
TV umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
ICC match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

It

Director: Andres Muschietti

Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor

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Miss Granny

Director: Joyce Bernal

Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa

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The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8

Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm

Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km

Price: Dh380,000

On sale: now 

Australia tour of Pakistan

March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi

March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi

March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore

March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi

March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi

April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi

April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi

PREMIER LEAGUE STATS

Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League 
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals

2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25  

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