Iran: Emmanuel Macron convenes a new defense council this Wednesday

French President Emmanuel Macron convened a national defense and security council on Wednesday on the “situation in Iran and the Middle East,” the Elysée announced Tuesday evening. This new defense council bringing together ministers and officials in charge of security issues will be held at 8:30 am. “Aucun objectif militaire ne justifie la destruction massive des infrastructures d’une société ni d’infliger de manière délibérée de telles souffrances aux populations civiles.” On the 39th day of the war in the Middle East, triggered by a joint Israeli-American attack on Iran, bridges, railways, and a highway were targeted in the country. And Donald Trump gave Iran until 8 pm Washington time (midnight GMT) to unblock navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for global oil supply, threatening to “obliterate an entire civilization” if this was not done. The White House denies the use of nuclear weapons. Comments that could be interpreted as an opening to the use of nuclear weapons by the United States, an eventuality that the White House has denied. “No military objective justifies the massive destruction of a society’s infrastructure or inflicting such suffering on civilian populations deliberately,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “very concerned” by the statements of the American president. Donald Trump is “alone” in knowing “what he is going to do” in Iran, his spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt declared, while political opponents of the president interpret his remarks, filled with contradictions, as evidence that he may be showing signs of dementia. Iran has said it is “ready for all scenarios.” Tehran, which threatens actions that will deprive the United States and their allies of oil and gas “for years,” continues to strike daily at Gulf countries accused of aiding Washington. In eastern Saudi Arabia, the giant petrochemical complex of Jubail was hit.