French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly and U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis attend a news conference at the Defence Ministry in Paris, France, October 2, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

PARIS (Reuters) - Iran’s nuclear ballistic programme is a threat and the country’s influence within the Middle East region is a major concern, said French defence minister Florence Parly on Tuesday.

Parly was speaking as she held a meeting with U.S. defence secretary James Mattis.