"The regime may fear the reaction of its own public opinion," Douste-Blazy said in Abu Dhabi as he wrapped up a brief visit to the United Arab Emirates.
"Discontent among the Iranian people over the prospect of sanctions could make the regime change tack," he told a joint news conference with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan.
"If it appreciated the risk of isolation hanging over the country, it would not be ready to pay the price of it," he added, stressing the importance to the Iranian regime of a negotiated settlement of the standoff over its nuclear programme.