French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday urged both the United States and Iran to de-escalate rising tensions following weekend developments in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Arab News.
“Our position remains the same. We need to settle things through diplomacy. Everyone must calm down,” Macron said during a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership and triggering a new conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has been responding with a retaliatory counterattack in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi as a retaliatory move, while launching barrages of missiles and drones toward Israel.
The conflict has spread across the Middle East, leaving thousands dead, triggering unprecedented disruptions to energy supplies especially after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The adversaries remain locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran tightens its control over maritime traffic while the United States continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports.
“It is likely that, following the American decision to maintain a targeted blockade on Hormuz … the Iranian authorities changed their initial position … this is a mistake on both sides,” Macron told journalists.
Macron also noted that France was not directly targeted in the Strait of Hormuz, following reports that Iranian forces fired warning shots at vessels on Saturday, including a container ship operated by CMA CGM.
The company later labeled the incident as involving “warning shots,” while announcing at the time that all crew members were safe.
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