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Iran Downplays US Talks, Netanyahu Rebukes Macron Over West Bank Remarks
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News18•23-09-2026, 16:30
Iran Downplays US Talks, Netanyahu Rebukes Macron Over West Bank Remarks
- •Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that recent indirect talks with US officials, mediated by Qatar, yielded "nothing new," reiterating demands for an end to the blockade on Iranian ports and the release of frozen assets.
- •The unscheduled indirect talks were the first between US and Iranian officials since a June ceasefire collapsed, occurring amidst ongoing attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
- •Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office called French President Emmanuel Macron's remarks at the UN a "grotesque absurdity," specifically objecting to his statements regarding Hamas's activity in the West Bank.
- •Macron criticized escalating Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and implied Israel could not use Hamas as justification for its actions there, with a French diplomatic source clarifying he meant Hamas had never governed the West Bank.
- •The dispute adds to tensions following France's recognition of a Palestinian state in September 2025 and its recent steps to restrict trade from Israeli settlements, which it opposes as contrary to international law.
Key Questions Answered
During indirect talks via Qatari mediators at the UN General Assembly, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson reiterated that Iran demands the United States end its blockade on Iranian ports and release its frozen assets to end the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office labeled French President Emmanuel Macron's UN remarks as a grotesque absurdity because Macron criticized escalating Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and made claims regarding Hamas activity there.
France recognized a Palestinian state in September 2025 and announced steps alongside Canada and other European countries to restrict trade from Israeli settlements, having long opposed them as contrary to international law.
