Iran Pres. Masoud Pezeshkian. Photo courtesy of Anadolu.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told French President Emmanuel Macron that the recent US strikes on Kharg and Abu Musa islands were carried out from territories of certain Gulf countries.
Pezeshkian said the insecurity in the region stems from hostile actions by Israel and the United States. He added that Iran did not seek conflict but would defend its territorial integrity and national security.
Macron said ending the war and lowering tensions was necessary. He later posted on X calling on Iran to immediately halt attacks on neighboring countries, including actions by proxies in Lebanon and Iraq.
The French president stressed that France operates strictly in defense of its interests, those of its partners, and freedom of navigation, and that attacks against France are unacceptable.
Macron said the current escalation is plunging the region into chaos, harming populations across Iran and its neighbors. He added that only a new political and security framework can provide lasting peace.
He said this framework must prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons while addressing threats from its ballistic program and destabilizing activities in the region. Macron also called for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to be restored swiftly.
The French president urged Pezeshkian to release French nationals Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who were convicted of espionage in Iran, and allow them to return home safely.
Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub handling up to 1.7 million barrels per day, has been central to the conflict since the US and Israel launched joint attacks on February 28. Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
