French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken with Massoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, urging him to halt what he described as “unacceptable attacks” carried out by Iran or its proxies across the Middle East.
Macron disclosed the conversation in a statement posted on X on March 15, where he outlined France’s concerns over escalating tensions in the region.
He added that France’s actions in the region are strictly defensive and aimed at protecting its interests, regional partners, and international shipping routes.
What Macron is saying
Macron said he warned the Iranian leader about the consequences of escalating military actions across the region and called for an immediate end to attacks linked to Tehran.
- “I called on him to put an immediate end to the unacceptable attacks Iran is carrying out against countries in the region, whether directly or through proxies, including in Lebanon and Iraq,” Macron said.
The French leader also emphasised that France’s presence and activities in the region are purely defensive and intended to safeguard its interests and allies.
- “I reminded him that France is acting within a strictly defensive framework aimed at protecting its interests, its regional partners, and freedom of navigation, and that it is unacceptable for our country to be targeted.”
More insights
The 47-year-old French president also outlined additional demands during the conversation, stressing the need for a broader security framework to stabilise the region.
- “Only a new political and security framework can ensure peace and security for all. Such a framework must guarantee that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, while also addressing the threats posed by its ballistic missile programme and its destabilising activities regionally and internationally.”
Macron further called for the restoration of safe passage through one of the world’s most critical shipping routes.
- “Freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz must be restored as soon as possible.”
He also appealed for the release of two French citizens currently held in Iran.
- “I also urged the Iranian President to allow Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris to return safely to France as soon as possible. Their ordeal has gone on for far too long, and they belong with their loved ones,” he said.
Backstory
Macron’s call with the Iranian leader comes roughly four days after a deadly drone attack in northern Iraq involving a drone believed to be Iranian-made.
- One French soldier was killed and six others injured when the drone struck a military site hosting French forces. The troops were among roughly 600 French personnel stationed in Iraq, where they assist in training local forces as part of the international coalition fighting the extremist group Islamic State.
Reacting to the incident at the time, Macron condemned the attack, saying French forces had been operating solely within the scope of counterterrorism operations.
- “This attack against our forces engaged in the fight against Daesh since 2015 is unacceptable. Their presence in Iraq is strictly within the framework of the fight against terrorism. The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks,” he wrote on X.
Earlier in the conflict between Iran and the combined forces of the United States and Israel, an Iranian drone also struck a naval facility in Abu Dhabi hosting French forces, though no casualties were reported.
What you should know
France has repeatedly criticised the escalating conflict in the Middle East while maintaining that its involvement in the region is primarily defensive and focused on protecting strategic interests.
Earlier in March, Naiarametrics reported that Macron ordered the deployment of a French aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean Sea to safeguard maritime routes and protect Europe’s economic interests.
- “We have economic interests to protect because oil and gas prices, as well as the international trade situation, are profoundly disrupted by this war,” Macron said at the time.
France is estimated to have about 4,000 troops deployed across the Middle East, where tensions have intensified in recent weeks due to ongoing regional conflicts.
What macron forgot to say is “you didn’t use the safe word “. Macron can’t save you, if you don’t say the safe word.