Iran nuclear proliferation 'critical threat' in coming months, French spy chief says

The risk of Iranian nuclear proliferation is a serious threat in coming months and Britain and France are working out strategies to prepare for such an event, the head of France's foreign intelligence service said on Friday.

"Our services are working side by side to face what is undoubtedly one of the threats, if not to say the most critical threat, in the coming months - the possible atomic proliferation in Iran," Nicolas Lerner, who heads the DGSE, said at the British embassy in Paris alongside his British counterpart Richard Moore.

His rare public comments come as Iran and European powers meet in Geneva to discuss Iran's nuclear programme, the situation in the Middle East, and Tehran's ties with Russia amid the war in Ukraine.

"The intelligence will be crucial to enable our authorities to make the right decisions and define the right strategies," he said.

Moore, head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service known as MI6, echoed those comments.

"The regime's nuclear ambitions continue to threaten all of us, especially friends of France and the UK in the Gulf region," he said.