US strikes Iran: 'No strictly military response can produce desired effects,' says French president

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday warned against a "military response," underlining that it would not produce the "desired effects," following the US attacks on Iran.

"It is clear that we are all calling for de-escalation, convinced that no strictly military response can produce the desired effects, and that the resumption of diplomatic and technical discussions is the only way to achieve the goal we all seek," Macron told journalists before the National Defense and Security Council meeting on the situation in the Near and Middle East.

Reaffirming that he spoke with the Iranian president and his European counterparts, Macron noted that he had called on each party to resume dialogue via diplomatic means, "both on the nuclear issue and on ballistic missiles."

"Iran must not be able to acquire nuclear weapons," he said, adding: "Escalation in the region must be brought under control."

Macron stressed that the world is experiencing a "grave moment for peace and stability" in the Near and Middle East and that the recent US attacks brought about a "new phase which clearly calls for vigilance and resolute action."

US President Donald Trump said early Sunday that his forces bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.

The US targeted Iran’s nuclear sites with six bunker-buster bombs dropped on the Fordo facility with B-2 stealth bombers, along with dozens of submarine-launched cruise missile strikes on the Natanz and Isfahan facilities.

The attacks came as the latest escalation in a US-backed Israeli military assault on Iran since June 13, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory attacks on Israel.

Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks.