Macron Rejects Role in US-Israel Strikes on Iran

(MENAFN) French President Emmanuel Macron moved swiftly Saturday to separate Paris from the escalating military campaign against Tehran, declaring unequivocally that France "was neither informed nor involved" in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran — a pointed signal that the Western alliance is far from unified on the offensive.

Macron convened an emergency meeting of the National Defense and Security Council at the Élysée Palace in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, using the session to formally stress that France had played no role in the organization of the operation.

Beyond distancing Paris from the strikes, the French leader struck a note of solidarity with civilian populations caught in the crossfire. "Our absolute priority is obviously the safety of our citizens," he said, affirming that France stands "alongside all the countries that are currently affected by the Iranian response."

Macron also issued a broader warning against over-reliance on military force, cautioning that "no one can believe that the issue of Iranian nuclear power, ballistic missile activity, and regional destabilization will be resolved simply through strikes" — and calling for intensified diplomatic engagement to address the underlying crisis.

The remarks carry added weight given the timing. Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes against Iran early Saturday, citing alleged threats posed by the "Iranian regime" — even as negotiations between Washington and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program had been actively progressing under Oman's mediation, with a fresh round of talks in Geneva having concluded just two days prior on Thursday.

The strikes are not without precedent. Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran last June, with the US joining the campaign later and bombing three Iranian nuclear sites — a prior escalation that now appears to have been a precursor to the far broader offensive now underway.

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