Laurent Fabius

The European Union approved the Iran nuclear deal with world powers on July 20, a first step towards lifting Europe's economic sanctions against Tehran that the bloc hopes will send a signal that the U.S. Congress will follow.

French President Francois Hollande awarded the highest decoration in France - the Order of Legion of Honour to UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.

Bokova was awarded the third highest degree of the Order - Commandeur (Commander) at a special ceremony in the Elysee Palace on Friday, daily Sega reports.

World powers talked deep into the night on July 11 seeking to break a deadlock in marathon negotiations with Iran and strike a historic deal to rein in Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Top ministers were due to meet July 6 seeking to conclude an unprecedented nuclear deal with Iran, on the eve of a deadline aiming to draw the curtain on almost two years of high-stakes negotiations.

Foreign ministers from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany called June 23 for a "rapid de-escalation" and "immediate ceasefire" in eastern Ukraine following crisis talks in Paris.

The Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia will be meeting Tuesday in the French capital Paris to hold talks on the Ukraine crisis, Reuters reported.

The French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius stated on June 17 that the government representatives will be discussing the effective execution of the ceasefire deal that was

Egypt appointed its first ambassador to Israel since 2012 on June 21, signaling improving ties between states that both see the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, as a threat.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on June 21 told visiting French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius that any new Palestinian unity government should not include Hamas, France's top diplomat said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on June 21 rejected "international dictates" ahead of a visit by France's top diplomat, with Paris advocating a UN resolution laying out parameters for peace talks.

France's foreign minister heads to the Middle East this weekend with an initiative aimed at bringing Israel and the Palestinians back to peace talks under an international framework amid growing regional instability.