Necva Taştan Sevinç
11 March 2026•Update: 11 March 2026
ISTANBUL
France "cannot approve" strikes by US and Israeli forces on Iran as they are being carried out outside international law and without clearly defined objectives, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday.
Speaking on France 2, Barrot said the strikes lacked clear strategic goals and did not comply with international legal standards.
Barrot stressed that France is not involved in the conflict.
“We do not approve of this war, and we are not participating in it,” he said.
He also called for rapid de-escalation in the Middle East, urging Iran to change its regional posture.
“We expect Iran to renounce being a destabilizing and dangerous power,” he said.
He added that Tehran must commit to “a radical change of posture and major concessions” in order to pave the way for a lasting solution in the region.
Barrot also said several countries have shown interest in participating in an international defensive mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, an initiative recently mentioned by French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to the minister, potential participants include “a number of European countries but also countries in the region.”
Regional escalation has intensified since Israel and the US launched a joint attack against Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people and injuring 10,000. The US dubbed the attacks “Operation Epic Fury.”
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.
