French President Emmanuel Macron says he has urged Iran to immediately halt what he described as “unacceptable attacks” across the Middle East during a phone call with Masoud Pezeshkian.
Macron said the call focused on rising tensions in the region and the need to prevent further escalation.
According to the French president, he asked Iran to stop attacks carried out directly or through proxies, including activities in Lebanon and Iraq.
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Macron said France is acting strictly in a defensive capacity to protect its interests, regional partners and international maritime routes.
He stressed that targeting France or its interests would be unacceptable.
Macron warned that the growing tensions could destabilise the entire region.
He said the escalation risks plunging the Middle East into chaos with consequences that could last for years.
According to him, ordinary people across the region, including in Iran, are already paying the price of the conflict.
The French leader also emphasised the need for a new political and security framework to ensure long-term stability.
He said such a framework must ensure that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, while also addressing concerns about the country’s ballistic missile programme and regional activities.
Macron also called for the restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
He further urged Iran to release two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, and allow them to return safely to France.
Macron said their detention has lasted too long and that they should be reunited with their families.
