On a visit to the United States, France’s foreign minister said that his nation is “determined” to stop Iran’s continued development of increasingly sophisticated ballistic missiles, Reuters reported Tuesday.

Jean-Yves Le Drian, who was in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s special adviser Jared Kushner said, “We are fully determined to press very vigorously on Iran to stop the development of an increasingly significant ballistic capability.”

In response to Iranian criticisms of French President Emmanuel Macron recent accusation that Iran is pursuing “hegemonic temptations” in the Middle East, Le Drian, who is slated to visit Iran next month, told reporters, “They didn’t like the word, but I stand by it.” He added, “Iran’s hegemonic temptations in the region is a matter of urgency because it’s within the framework of getting peace in Iraq and Syria that we will stop this process.”

United Nations Security Council resolution 2231, which implemented the deal, called on Iran not to develop ballistic missiles, an activity that Iran has continued to pursue despite the deal.

Earlier this month, both France and Germany reiterated their opposition to Iran’s continued ballistic missile development and called on the Islamic Republic to give up “its hegemonic temptations.”

France and Germany, joined the United States and the United Kingdom in August, sending a letter to United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, charging that Iran’s launch of a satellite violated resolution 2231.

[Photo: Tasnim News]