Iran’s advancing nuclear program is reaching a critical point, forcing Western leaders to decide on their next moves. French President Emmanuel Macron recently described Iran as Europe’s biggest “strategic and security challenge,” warning that Tehran’s uranium enrichment efforts bring it closer to obtaining nuclear weapons. 

Speaking to French ambassadors on Monday, Macron urged Europe to consider reimposing sanctions if Iran does not halt its progress. “The acceleration of the nuclear programme brings us close to the point of no return,” he said. 

France is a signatory to the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Iran scale back its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions on its economy—a deal abandoned by the United States under former President Donald Trump in 2018.

Since the U.S. exited the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Iran has significantly escalated uranium enrichment. Experts warn that Tehran now has enough highly enriched uranium to potentially create a nuclear weapon within weeks. 

Iranian leaders have consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons. However, recent setbacks suffered by Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, at the hands of Israel have raised concerns that Tehran may pursue a nuclear bomb to re-establish regional deterrence.

Analysts suggest that tensions between Iran and the West could also intensify with Trump’s return to the White House later this month.

Aside from exiting the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Trump initiated a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran during his first term. He also ordered the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020, pushing the two nations to the brink of all-out war.

Macron said France would work closely with the new U.S. administration on addressing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.