Tehran threatens London and Paris. Iran promised this Sunday an “immediate response” in the event of French and British deployment in the Strait of Hormuz, as indicated by Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy minister of international and legal affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. of Iran on X. Emmanuel Macron responded that no French deployment had been “considered”.
This follows the deployment of the aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle” in the Red Sea, decided at the beginning of the week. Paris and London are at the initiative of a mission of around fifty countries (but not the United States), aimed at securing navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This mission would only be activated in the event of an agreement to end the conflict between Iran and the United States.
“French officials announced that the warship they dispatched has the mission of clearing mines and escorting ships once calm is restored. We remind them that, both in times of war and in times of peace, only the Islamic Republic of Iran can ensure security in this strait, and that it will not allow any country to interfere in these matters,” writes Kazem Gharibabad.
“Consequently, it should be noted that the presence of French and British warships, or any other country, likely to accompany the illegal actions contrary to international law of the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, will be met with a firm and immediate response.” “, continues the Deputy Minister of International and Legal Affairs in his long message.
A deployment “never envisaged” without consultation with Iran, assures Emmanuel Macron
“There was never any consideration of a French deployment,” replied Emmanuel Macron immediately, during a press conference in Kenya. But the French president recalled that France “stands ready” to “allow the resumption of maritime traffic” in the Strait of Hormuz, “in a concerted manner with Iran”.
Paris and London will co-chair a meeting of defense ministers on the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the British government said on Sunday evening. The forty countries involved “should take advantage of tomorrow’s meeting to discuss and define their military contributions to the defensive mission aimed at reopening and securing the Strait of Hormuz when conditions allow,” said the British Ministry of Defense in a communicated.
“The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its escorts cross the Suez Canal on Wednesday May 6, 2026, en route to the south of the Red Sea,” the French Ministry of the Armed Forces announced in a press release on Wednesday. Until then, he was heading to the Eastern Mediterranean, where he has been since, to defend French interests and the allied countries hit by the Iranian response.
Its presence near the Gulf should make it possible to “evaluate the regional operational environment in anticipation of the triggering” of the multinational mission, “to offer additional options for exiting the crisis to strengthen the security of the region.” » and should make it possible to aggregate around it the resources of other countries, according to the ministry.
