French President Macron talks to Iran President, appeals to stop attacks on Middle East countries

Washington, March 16. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian and appealed to him to stop Iran’s unacceptable attacks against Middle East countries. Macron gave this information on social media platform X. “I have just spoken to the President of Iran. I told him to immediately stop Iran’s attacks that are unacceptable,” Macron wrote on Twitter after his conversation with Massoud Pezeshkian.

Iran has been attacking countries in the region, whether directly or through proxies, including Lebanon and Iraq. “I reminded them that France is acting within a strict defensive framework to protect its interests, its regional partners and freedom of navigation, and it is unacceptable that our country be targeted.”

He said, “The unchecked escalation we are witnessing is plunging the entire region into chaos, with major consequences today and for years to come. The people of Iran, like people across the region, are paying the price. Only a new political and security framework can ensure peace and security for all. Such a framework must guarantee that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, as well as combat its ballistic missile program and its destabilizing influence in the region and around the world.” The threats posed by such activities should also be removed as soon as possible. Freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz should be restored.”

The French President appealed and said that I also asked the Iranian President to allow the safe return of French citizens Cecil Kohler and Jacques Paris from Iran’s captivity to France as soon as possible. His suffering has gone on for too long. Both were arrested during their visit to Iran in May 2022.

This comment of Macron comes after the decision of Paris in which France has decided to significantly increase its military presence in this area. Earlier this week, Macron said Paris was deploying eight frigates, two amphibious helicopter carriers and the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea to form a defensive position to support partners and help maintain freedom of navigation. Earlier, the US President had appealed that he hoped that many partner countries like China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain would send warships to help secure the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz.