Macron: "Not Considering Use of Force to Open the Strait of Hormuz"

French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that he is not considering the use of force to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Yonhap News

President Macron, who is visiting Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to attend the "Africa Forward" conference co-hosted by France and Kenya, said at a press conference on May 10 (local time) that France had "never considered deploying forces to reopen the Strait of Hormuz" in relation to the movement of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle strike group.

Previously, France, together with the United Kingdom, had been pursuing an international mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The French carrier strike group also recently moved from the Mediterranean toward the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In response, Iran warned that it would immediately retaliate if French and British warships joined U.S. actions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Regarding this, President Macron explained, "France's deployment has never been considered," and added, "What France is envisioning is a security mission coordinated with Iran." He also stressed the need to ease tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.

He further explained that France, together with the United Kingdom, is advancing a temporary international mission involving around 50 countries and international organizations. He stated that the purpose of this mission is to resume maritime traffic as quickly as possible through consultations with the United States, Iran, and regional countries.

Meanwhile, the "Africa Forward" conference is a venue where leaders and businesspeople from African countries discuss ways to promote economic development and expand investment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.