France’s President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a news conference with Iraq’s President Barham Salih (not seen) ahead of the Baghdad summit at the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq August 28, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

i24 News – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that he had “one of the best meetings” with French President Emmanuel Macron, who expressed “willingness to consider the imposition of sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.”

According to Netanyahu, who arrived in Paris on Thursday night and held a three-hour meeting with Macron, there is a “very big rapprochement” between Israel and France “in the way we see the Iranian threat.”

“The conversation was very good. We talked about concrete things. He (Macron) expressed willingness to consider the imposition of sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guards,” Netanyahu said.

Click here for an Explainer on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

“I must say that the concern is shared, the assessment of the nature of the regime is shared. It’s a rapprochement,” Netanyahu said, adding that just several years ago, he was “almost alone” in voicing concern about the danger of the Iranian regime “not only to Israel, not only to the [United States], but also to Europe.”

The two leaders also discussed the rising tensions with the Palestinians. 

“I said my policy is twofold. On the one hand, to take firm measures, focused on the epicenters of terrorism, whether it is Hamas or Islamic Jihad, they are currently deterred, but also against individual terrorism by targeted action around the immediate circle closest to them and not by collective punishment… On the other hand, also prevent escalation as much as possible,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister vowed to promote regional peace, sharing with Macron his views on the possible normalization with Saudi Arabia.

“I said it was a possibility, but of course, it depends on the Saudis. We clearly believe that this thing can bring huge, historical changes,” Netanyahu said, adding that the recent opening of Chad’s embassy in Israel and the stabilization of Lebanon were also discussed.

The leaders talked about Ukraine as well. Netanyahu stressed that Iran’s cooperation with Russia “is very serious from our point of view, and we act independently against Iran at different levels” aimed at degrading or harming Iran’s capabilities against Israel, as well as in “other arenas.”