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France Defends Hormuz Naval Mission
(MENAFN) The French government pushed back firmly on Monday against suggestions of aggressive intent in the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran issued stark warnings over potential Western military deployments in the strategically vital waterway.
"We have said it very clearly and consistently from the start: it is an exclusively defensive posture," government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told a broadcaster, adding that France's planned maritime operations in the region are "never an offensive posture."
Bregeon said France, in coordination with the UK and other allied partners, is actively working to restore freedom of navigation through the strait. "We have taken an initiative to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, again in an exclusively defensive posture, in coordination with the different forces in the region when security conditions allow," she said.
The spokesperson also confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron had "repeatedly" articulated France's defensive stance and firmly dismissed any characterization of offensive intent. France's military movements in the area — including the repositioning of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle toward the southern Red Sea — are focused solely on maritime security support, she said.
"The objective is a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It is in line with international law and necessary for the global economy," Bregeon stated.
The reassurances come in direct response to escalating warnings from Iran, which has threatened that any French or British naval presence in or near the Strait of Hormuz would trigger a "decisive and immediate response" from its armed forces.
The broader crisis traces back to US and Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, which set off a chain of Iranian retaliatory actions against Israel and US Gulf allies and led to the closure of the strait. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect on April 8, but negotiations in Islamabad failed to yield a lasting accord. President Donald Trump subsequently extended the truce with no fixed deadline, opening the door to diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a permanent end to the conflict.
"We have said it very clearly and consistently from the start: it is an exclusively defensive posture," government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told a broadcaster, adding that France's planned maritime operations in the region are "never an offensive posture."
Bregeon said France, in coordination with the UK and other allied partners, is actively working to restore freedom of navigation through the strait. "We have taken an initiative to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, again in an exclusively defensive posture, in coordination with the different forces in the region when security conditions allow," she said.
The spokesperson also confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron had "repeatedly" articulated France's defensive stance and firmly dismissed any characterization of offensive intent. France's military movements in the area — including the repositioning of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle toward the southern Red Sea — are focused solely on maritime security support, she said.
"The objective is a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It is in line with international law and necessary for the global economy," Bregeon stated.
The reassurances come in direct response to escalating warnings from Iran, which has threatened that any French or British naval presence in or near the Strait of Hormuz would trigger a "decisive and immediate response" from its armed forces.
The broader crisis traces back to US and Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, which set off a chain of Iranian retaliatory actions against Israel and US Gulf allies and led to the closure of the strait. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect on April 8, but negotiations in Islamabad failed to yield a lasting accord. President Donald Trump subsequently extended the truce with no fixed deadline, opening the door to diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a permanent end to the conflict.
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