I have just met with the Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.
I expressed my deep concern over the ongoing escalation, and condemned the unjustified strikes against Emirati civilian infrastructure and several ships.
All parties must lift the blockade of the Strait, without delay and without conditions. We must durably return to the regime of full freedom of navigation that prevailed before the conflict.
The multinational mission that France and the United Kingdom have set up can help restore confidence among shipowners and insurers. It will, by its very nature, be distinct from the warring parties. The pre-positioning of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle fits within this context.
Recent events clearly demonstrate the usefulness that such a mission would have. I have invited the Iranian president to seize this opportunity, and I intend to discuss this matter with President Trump.
The return of calm in the Strait will help advance negotiations on the nuclear issue, the ballistic issue, and the regional situation. The Europeans, on whom the lifting of sanctions depends, will take their place in this process.
: Emmanuel Macron
President of France