Mariem Njeh
April 8, 2026•Updated: April 8, 2026
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, firmly warned on Tuesday evening against the ultimatum issued by Donald Trump to Iran, rejecting any American strikes targeting civilian infrastructure. During his statement on France Info, the diplomat also detailed the conditions of the return to France, scheduled for Wednesday morning, of the former French detainees recently released by Tehran.
Addressing the threats from Donald Trump, Jean-Noël Barrot dismissed the American ultimatum by stating that “anything excessive is insignificant.” The minister urged to not confuse the Iranian people with its regime, which he described as a “bloodthirsty theocracy” that recently shot down civilian protesters with assault rifles.
“I obviously hope [Donald Trump] does not carry out these threats that would lead the region, as well as the world, into a particularly dangerous new phase of escalation,” warned the French diplomat.
The illegality of strikes on civilian infrastructure
Regarding the specific threat to strike Iranian energy and civilian installations, Jean-Noël Barrot reiterated Paris’s strict opposition to such operations: “They are not legal under international law, and France consistently denounces and condemns them, whether they occur in Iran or in Russia.”
However, he clarified that this reminder of the laws of war was in no way a “complacency” towards Tehran, emphasizing that France had heavily sanctioned the regime last year.
The return of former detainees and Oman’s role
While France denounces the actions of the Iranian regime, it welcomes the release of its citizens. The minister confirmed that after crossing the border with Azerbaijan on Tuesday midday, they will return to France on Wednesday morning. They are expected to be received by the president.
Revealing that Tehran’s decision was confirmed on Easter Sunday evening after a year and a half of confidential negotiations, Barrot praised the role of the Omani authorities who “helped, at the last minute, to convey certain messages within the Iranian system.”
He also dismissed any rumors of diplomatic exchanges, especially regarding the extradition to France of the Iranian citizen Mahdiyeh Espandiar: “In no way have we […] linked the fate of our hostages […] with the foreign policy choices of France.”
