Macron is pressing Pashinyan to return to the negotiating table despite Israeli escalation.

In a new escalation of the Iranian nuclear file, Iranian President Masoud Bazkian confirmed during a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Tehran will not sit at the negotiating table as long as Israel continues its military strikes on Iranian territories. The strikes began early Friday in a wide-ranging operation dubbed by Tel Aviv as "The Rising Lion." Bazkian stated that Tehran will not accept "unreasonable demands under pressure," emphasizing his country's rejection of any negotiations amid ongoing Israeli attacks targeting nuclear facilities, missile bases, military centers, and resulting in the deaths of prominent military leaders and nuclear scientists. Macron, on the other hand, renewed his plea for the Iranian president to quickly return to the negotiating table, stressing that calm can only be achieved through dialogue. Macron considered the Iranian nuclear file a "serious issue that must be resolved through negotiations," warning that the entire region faces the danger of escalating disturbances, calling for maximum restraint to prevent further escalation. This tension follows Israel's intensive airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and missile bases, to which Iran responded with a series of ballistic missile strikes and drones on targets inside Israel. Amid the escalating confrontation, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced the targeting of fuel supply facilities for Israeli fighter jets, while reports of casualties and injuries on both sides continued. Israel also warned of challenging days ahead amidst the ongoing escalation. Regional and international countries have urged wisdom and restraint, as the Iranian nuclear file remains a major flashpoint threatening the stability of the entire Middle East.