Iran’s Supreme Leader has implicitly rejected a mediation effort by French President Emmanuel Macron, saying the Islamic Republic can no longer trust Europe.

Ayatollah Khamenei told Assembly of Experts members on Thursday that the Europeans had not fulfilled their 11 commitments in the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the 5+1 Powers (US, France, Germany, UK, China, and Russia): “This is the strongest reason why we should not trust them in any field.”

Khamenei and other Iranian officials have criticized the European Union and its members for not providing a vital economic link to bypass US sanctions and prop up the troubled Iranian economy.

In February, Iran rejected a European Union mechanism, known as INSTEX, because of “humiliating conditions” such as the EU’s concern over Iran’s missile program, activities in the Middle East, and alleged involvement in bomb and assassination plots in Europe.

Trying to salvage the nuclear deal and ease tensions in the Persian Gulf, Macron launched a mediation effort in July, shuttling between Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. France proposed a $15 billion line of credit to Iran, in return for Tehran lifting its suspension of commitments under the nuclear agreement.

Macron renewed the effort this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, seeing both Trump and Rouhani. But his attempt has been blunted by France’s need to get US acceptance of any line of credit, protecting French financial institutions from American punishment.

And his latest effort was prefaced by his blame, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, of Iran for the September 14 drone and missile attacks on two Saudi oil complexes

Iran Daily, Sept 25: In New York, Macron Renews Mediation Effort Between Tehran and US
Iran Daily, Sept 24: Europeans Blame Tehran for Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities

“Committed to American Sanctions”

Khamenei effectively dismissed Macron in his comments on Thursday:

Contrary to their promises, the Europeans remained committed to the American sanctions in practice….[They are] unlikely to do anything for the Islamic Republic.

He noted, “Europeans appear as mediators and engage in long negotiations”, but then stepped up the rhetoric of rejection:

Those countries that have hoisted the flag of animosity towards the Islamic establishment and are topped by American and these few European countries, should not be trusted in any way, because they are explicitly showing hostility toward the Iranian nation.

Defying the economic situation, in which Iran has lost at least 80% of its official oil revenue and faces problems with production, investment, trade, employment, and inflation, Khamenei proclaimed:

Today, the Islamic establishment is not only stronger than 40 years ago, but is even stronger than 10 years ago and its revolutionary and political might has spread through the region….

America, which is our archenemy, is currently the most hated government in the world, and Europeans have themselves admitted to their weaknesses and decline of their power.