French Armed Forces Minister, Alice Rufo, said on Sunday that Paris did not believe that military intervention in Iran is its preferred option, following reports of a deadly crackdown that claimed thousands of lives, according to AFP.
Not France’s “Preferred Option”
“I think we must support the Iranian people in any way we can,” Rufo said on the political broadcast “Le Grand Jury.”
However, she affirmed that military intervention is not “the preferred option” for France, noting that it was ultimately “up to the Iranian people to rid themselves of this regime.”
Internet Shutdown
Underscoring the consequences of a nationwide internet shutdown, Rufo highlighted how hard it has been to “document the mass crimes the Iranian regime has carried out against its population.”
Since January 8, Iranian people have been largely severed from the internet, after authorities imposed a sweeping blackout amid nationwide protests.
Iranian authorities exploited the blackout to launch a deadly crackdown on protesters, with rights groups reporting several thousand deaths and the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights warning the death toll could surpass 25,000.
However, the Iranian authorities have specified the death toll at 3,117, including 2,427 recognized as “martyrs”—a term used to distinguish security personnel and civilian bystanders from those the government labels “rioters” allegedly incited by the United States and Israel.
“The Iranian people reject their regime. The fate of the Iranian people belongs to Iranians, and it is not for us to choose their leaders,” said Rufo.
US Threats
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump warned that an “armada” of American forces was heading toward Iran.
However, he said he hoped it would not be used, as he reiterated threats against Iran over the violent crackdown against protesters and any revival of its nuclear program.
“American Conspiracy”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has recently charged Trump with bearing responsibility for the “casualties” that accompanied a wave of protests across the Islamic Republic.
The Supreme Leaders noted that “this was an American conspiracy,” adding that “America’s goal is to swallow Iran… the goal is to put Iran back under military, political, and economic domination.”
The US has periodically deployed forces and reinforced its presence in the Middle East during times of mounting tensions. However, Washington staged a major buildup in 2025 ahead of its June strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.
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