French officials have told Iran's envoy that Tehran must uphold its commitments to the landmark nuclear deal signed with world powers in 2015 and make moves to de-escalate tensions in the Gulf region. The meeting comes as US-Iran tensions continue to rise over a series of attacks by Iran in the Gulf and continuing US sanctions on the Iranian economy after Washington withdrew from the accord last year. A statement by the French Foreign Ministry said Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi gave a message to President Emmanuel Macron from Iranian leader Hassen Rouhani. Mr Macron and Mr Rouhani spoke last Thursday. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who met with Mr Araghchi, is working with European partners on an observation mission to ensure maritime security in the Gulf, where tensions have mounted after Iran's seizure last Friday of a British-flagged oil tanker. Mr Le Drian made no mention of <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/world/britain-s-proposal-for-european-naval-force-in-gulf-a-tough-sell-1.889879">a Europe-led "maritime protection mission"</a> announced a day earlier by his British counterpart, Jeremy Hunt, offering instead what seems to be a softer version. France is working "at this moment on a European initiative" with Britain and Germany, he told lawmakers, without elaborating. "This vision is the opposite of the American initiative, which is ... maximum pressure" against Iran. <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/british-warship-warned-iran-not-to-seize-oil-tanker-new-audio-shows-1.888698">Iran's seizure Friday of British oil tanker <em>Steno Impero</em> and its 23-member crew in the Strait of Hormuz </a>aggravated tensions that were already mounting. Before the seizure, Iran had started openly exceeding the uranium enrichment levels set in the accord to try to pressure Europe into offsetting the economic pain of US sanctions. Mr Le Drian stressed the need for diplomacy to de-escalate volatile tensions, which he has said previously could lead to "an accident". During his visit to Paris on Tuesday Mr Araghchi said Iran planned to secure the Strait of Hormuz and not allow any disturbance in shipping there. Iran's claim is clouded by accusations of attacks against six oil tankers and the seizure of the Stena Impero. France, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark support the European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, three senior EU diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday. <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/world/britain-s-proposal-for-european-naval-force-in-gulf-a-tough-sell-1.889879">The UK's Foreign Office proposed the idea</a> after Iran's seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker, which Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, called "an act of piracy". Spain, Sweden, Poland and Germany also showed interest in joining the mission, which would be led by France and the UK. “Iran will use its best efforts to secure the region, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, and will not allow any disturbance in shipping in this sensitive area,” Mr Araghchi told Mr Le Drian, state news agency Irna reported. Mr Araghchi later met Mr Macron and delivered the message from President Rouhani, Irna said. “They both emphasised using diplomacy to bring peace to the world,” Irna reported. Almost a fifth of the oil used globally passes through the Strait of Hormuz and it is the only sea passage in the Arabian Gulf that opens into the open ocean. On July 9, Washington proposed increasing efforts to protect strategic waters off Iran and Yemen where it blames Iran and its proxies for recent tanker attacks.