JERUSALEM (JTA) — France considers Iran’s nuclear program to be a threat to Israel, the region and the world and will uphold economic sanctions as long as necessary, French President Francois Hollande said.

Hollande arrived in Israel Sunday, his first trip to Israel since becoming president more than a year ago, for meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials. The meetings come as the world powers are preparing for another round of negotiations with Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons program.

“France considers it to be a threat to Israel, and it is clearly threatening to the region and the world. France will not give up or compromise on nuclear proliferation, and as long as we are not completely sure that Iran has given up nuclear weapons, we will continue to maintain our position,” Hollande said upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport.

“Israel views France as a true friend. France, like Israel, aspires to a stable, moderate Middle East in which the peoples live in peace with each other, in security and mutual respect. You, Mr. President, have taken a resolute stance regarding Syria, and in the face of Iran’s relentless attempts to arm itself with nuclear weapons, which would endanger not just Israel, but regimes and countries throughout the Middle East; it would also endanger France, Europe and the entire world,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a welcome ceremony for Hollande. “Mr. President, you are a most welcome and esteemed guest in our country. All Israelis extend their hand to you in brave friendship and with the blessings of peace. Vive la France, vive l’Israel, vive l’amitie entre la France et l’Israel.”

It has been reported that France was the one country that stood in the way of the P5+1 world powers signing an agreement last week in Geneva with Iran; the agreement reportedly would have offered an easing of economic sanctions in return for Iran halting high-level uranium enrichment.

“The citizens of Israel are full of gratitude to France for standing by our side in times of difficulty, we will never forget it,” Israeli President Shimon Peres said during a welcome ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.

“We appreciate France’s strong stance, under your leadership, my friend Francois Hollande, in the international arena to stop Iran’s dangerous ambitions to overrun and dominate the Middle East. We stand with you in this fight and we will win because things must change,” he said.

“Your visit to Israel is an opportunity to enrich the already fruitful relation between our countries. Mr. President, your stance and ours will win the day for a simple reason – it is moral, it is just and it serves humanity without prejudice.”