Iran on Wednesday said French President Emmanuel Macron's comments that Tehran is the main security and strategic challenge in the Middle East were "baseless."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described the remarks as "baseless, contradictory and based on speculation."

The spokesman called on France to "reconsider its unconstructive approaches to peace and stability" in the region.

He also considered Macron's statements about the Iranian nuclear file "deceptive."

Baghaei stressed that the Iranian program is "peaceful and falls within the framework of international law."

Macron said on Tuesday before French ambassadors at the Elysee Palace, "Iran is the main strategic and security challenge for France, the Europeans, the entire region and much beyond."

He warned that "the acceleration of its nuclear program is leading us to the point of collapse," stressing that the issue of Iran will be a priority in the dialogue he will initiate with the next US President, Donald Trump.

Tehran insists that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only and denies any intention of possessing nuclear weapons.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons that has enriched uranium to 60%, close to the 90% needed to manufacture a nuclear weapon.

Tensions over Iran's nuclear program escalated after Washington, during Trump's first term, unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal that provided for the easing of Western sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbing its nuclear ambitions.