ISTANBUL
France on Thursday reiterated its stance on the recognition of the state of Palestine, reaffirming that it is "not a taboo."
Speaking at the weekly press briefing of the Foreign Ministry, spokesperson Christophe Lemoine said "the question is not a taboo," while answering Anadolu's question regarding the French recognition of Palestinian state.
"It must come at a time that is appropriate and useful in advancing toward a political solution for the Palestinian territories," Lemoine explained.
Highlighting that Paris remains "extremely vigilant" about the situation in Gaza, he reassured that they continue to call for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the resumption of humanitarian aid.
"Crisis between Israel and Iran must not overshadow what is happening in Gaza," Lemoine said, echoing President Emmanuel Macron's statements.
Asked about the future date of the recently-postponed UN conference on peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue and implementation of a two-state solution, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, he said the UN is responsible for its organization. The conference was initially scheduled for June, but got postponed after military tensions between Iran and Israel.
"We have resumed working with the United Nations to organize the conference at a later date, which means the conference is postponed, not canceled," he added.
Lemoine also welcomed the US President Donald Trump's Israel-Iran ceasefire announcement, describing it as a "positive development."
"From the very beginning of the strikes, we have called for de-escalation and a ceasefire. Now, all parties are expected to respect it. It is indeed in everyone’s interest to avoid a new cycle of violence," he said.
He said Paris urges Iran to "promptly" return to dialogue in order to reach a "robust, verifiable, and lasting diplomatic solution that addresses the legitimate concerns of the international community regarding its nuclear program."
"In this perspective, Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is essential, and we call for it to be maintained," Lemoine added.
Iran's Guardian Council announced on Thursday that it approved legislation to suspend cooperation with the IAEA.
The move came after a 12-day war between Iran and Israel, which ended on Tuesday after a ceasefire was announced by Trump.
Israel attacked Iranian nuclear and military facilities on June 13, claiming to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran, however, denies seeking a nuclear weapon. The US also bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, saying they were "obliterated."