French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on July 13 that sanctions against Iran will not be lifted unless Tehran abandons its nuclear program. 

“Sanctions against the Iranian regime will not be lifted until it abandons its nuclear program, which destabilizes the region, and its ballistic missile program, some of whose missiles could one day target Europe,” he told French broadcaster BFMTV.

The French foreign minister also called on the United States and Iran to honor the commitments they undertook under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), warning that a renewed escalation in the Middle East would leave “only losers in Iran, the United States, and everywhere else in the world.”

Last month, Barrot said France wanted to play a role in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and would not agree to lifting UN sanctions until it was satisfied with the terms of a final peace agreement following the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

France is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concern over the renewed military confrontation in the Middle East.

The remarks were contained in a statement issued by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the serious escalation in the Gulf and the resumption of military confrontation, including Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. strikes against Iran, and Iranian attacks against targets in neighboring states. These attacks must stop,” the statement said.

Guterres called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalation, and take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.

The statement warns that a resumption of large-scale military hostilities in the Middle East would have devastating consequences for the people of the region, as well as for international peace and security and the global economy.

“The Secretary-General calls on Iran and the United States to urgently resume negotiations and resolve all outstanding issues through diplomatic means,” the statement said.

The European Union has imposed additional restrictive measures on nine individuals and four entities over cyber activities targeting the EU, its member states and international partners.

The measures were announced in a statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, released by her office.

According to the statement, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has for years conducted a wide range of malicious cyber activities affecting the EU, its member states, and international partners, notably Ukraine.

“These activities have included infiltration of governmental networks and sabotage of critical infrastructure. Among others, France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania and Finland have been targeted,” the statement said.

The EU strongly condemned what it described as Russia’s misuse of a cyber ecosystem targeting public services and critical infrastructure.

“In response to these malicious activities, the EU is imposing restrictive measures on nine individuals and four entities. The sanctions target GRU intelligence officers, as well as cybercriminals, self-proclaimed hacktivists and private companies that contribute to Russia’s efforts to destabilise the EU, its member states and international partners,” the statement said.

The sanctions include travel bans to the European Union and asset freezes on the listed individuals and entities.

Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in cyberattacks carried out against targets in Europe.

European countries have reported more than 10,000 excess deaths during the record-breaking heatwave that swept across western parts of the continent in late June, according to official data.

Figures published by the EuroMOMO network show that more than 9,000 of the excess deaths occurred among people aged 65 and over.

EuroMOMO compiles mortality data in cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Extreme heat can be fatal by causing heatstroke or by exacerbating cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Older people are among the most vulnerable groups.

Scientists said the late-June heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without human-induced climate change, which is making heatwaves more frequent and more intense.

The data cover 27 European countries. Particularly high excess mortality was recorded in Belgium and France, while Spain, the Netherlands, and Switzerland reported more moderate increases.

More than 400 French firefighters worked through the night to bring under control a wildfire that broke out in the Forest of Fontainebleau, south of Paris.

According to France 24, French authorities also deployed two firefighting aircraft on July 13 to help contain the blaze.

The fire started along a motorway near Fontainebleau, home to one of France’s most famous royal palaces, which once served as a hunting lodge and seasonal residence for French monarchs. By midnight, the fire had burned through more than 800 hectares, driven by strong, hot winds.

The wildfire, located just 70 kilometers south of Paris, forced the closure of the A6 motorway, a major route linking the French capital with Lyon and southern France. Several smaller fires in the area also disrupted high-speed rail services.

Local residents were warned that Canadair firefighting aircraft would need to draw water from the Seine River, which flows through central Paris.

European countries are increasingly concerned about more frequent heatwaves and record-high temperatures. Most scientists say climate change is contributing to the spread of wildfires by leaving large areas of continental Europe increasingly dry.

Wildfires have also been reported in several regions of France, Spain, Portugal, and Greece, burning thousands of hectares of land.

Bulgaria is ready to support the expansion of sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova told Bulgarian journalists in Brussels, where she arrived to attend a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. “Bulgaria’s reservations were taken into account, and we are ready to support the package,” she said.

Bulgaria had objections to the inclusion in the sanctions list of Russian Patriarch Kirill and Vagit Alekperov, owner and former president of Lukoil. It argued that including the Patriarch would have no economic or financial impact on Russia and would not contribute to ending the war. At the same time, such a measure is likely to be used for propaganda purposes, including to fuel anti-European sentiment. As for Alekperov, it insisted that his presence in the sanctions package would have significant adverse consequences for the operations of the Lukoil Group companies that play a key role in Bulgaria’s economy.

Petrova noted that there is still no full agreement on the sanctions proposed by the European Commission due to objections from Greece in the energy sector and from Austria in the financial sector. “Clearly, defending a national position does not lead to isolation. Bulgaria can achieve its objectives when it is able to defend its position with well-founded arguments,” Petrova commented.

Foreign Minister Petrova also announced in Brussels that she will be traveling to Kyiv on Wednesday for talks focused on opportunities for the further development of Ukraine’s energy security. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted bills to the Verkhovna Rada proposing a 90-day extension of martial law and general mobilisation in the country from August 2. The relevant documents have been published on the website of the Ukrainian parliament. The bills will now be considered by the relevant parliamentary committee before being put to a vote in the full parliament. Martial law and general mobilisation have been in force in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, following the launch of Russia’s military operations. If approved, this would mark the 20th extension of both measures.

This article is published under an agreement between Armenpress and Moldpres. Moldovan President Maia Sandu will participate for the first time in a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing on July 13 at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Moldovan state news agency Moldpres reported. The Coalition of the Willing is a political and diplomatic coordination format co-chaired by France, Germany and the United Kingdom, bringing together 37 countries, most of them European. The coalition aims to support Ukraine and help ensure a just and lasting peace by preventing renewed aggression after a ceasefire is reached. Discussions in Paris will focus on strengthening support for Ukraine. According to the publication, Moldova’s participation in the Coalition of the Willing is a natural continuation of the support it has provided to Ukraine. It notes that Moldova’s participation is fully compatible with the country’s constitutionally enshrined neutrality, as the coalition is a flexible framework for cooperation that also includes other neutral European states. Each participating country independently determines the form and scale of its contribution in accordance with its constitutional framework. Since the start of Russia’s military operations against Ukraine, Moldova has supported its neighbouring country by providing shelter to Ukrainian refugees, ensuring transit corridors for Ukrainian exports, offering humanitarian and energy assistance, and contributing to the training of Ukrainian deminers in humanitarian demining. Moldpres notes that, with its 1,222-kilometre shared border with Ukraine, Moldova is a reliable security partner for Ukraine and the rest of Europe. According to the agency, the security of Ukraine and that of Moldova are closely interconnected, and a just and lasting peace in Ukraine would bring stability to Moldova and the entire continent.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain open and announced restrictions targeting Iranian shipping. Trump made the remarks in a post on the Truth Social platform. “The Strait of Hormuz is open and will remain open, with or without Iran,” the U.S. president wrote. According to Trump, the United States is reinstating a blockade on Iran under a framework in which the restrictions will apply only to Iranian vessels or customers associated with Iran. He said all other countries would continue to have fair and free access to the strait. Trump also announced that the United States would henceforth be known as the “Guardian of the Strait of Hormuz.” According to his post, the United States plans to receive compensation equivalent to 20% of shipping revenues to cover the costs of ensuring security in the strait. “The process will begin immediately,” Trump wrote.

Yemen’s Houthi movement, which controls the country’s north, on July 13 accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport and vowed to retaliate, Reuters reported. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree described the strikes as “blatant aggression” and said they marked the end of a period of reduced tensions in the long-running conflict. He said Saudi Arabia would face the consequences and that the attack would not go unanswered. Saudi Arabia has not responded to the accusations. Earlier on July 13, the Defence Ministry of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, based in the country’s south, said its forces had targeted the runway of Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing. Yemen has been engulfed in civil war for more than a decade. The Houthis seized the capital, forcing the internationally recognised government to relocate to the south. The government, based in the southern port city of Aden, is backed by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. The government’s defence minister said diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran and the Houthis to stop what he described as violations of Yemeni airspace by Iranian aircraft had been exhausted. He added that government forces would respond “by all available means” to any hostile aircraft violating Yemen’s airspace. Meanwhile, Information Minister Muammar bin Mutahar Al-Eryani said the Houthis had seized an aircraft belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Sanaa airport and detained its pilots.