Macron urges instant reopening of Hormuz Strait
Paris, May 7
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for "all parties" to lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz "without delay and without conditions," after a telephone talk with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
"We must return permanently to the regime of full freedom of navigation that prevailed before the conflict," Macron said on social media platform X on Wednesday evening (local time), adding that the future multinational escort mission launched by France and Britain will contribute to the goal.
This Franco-British initiative "will by its nature be separate from the warring parties. The pre-positioning of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is part of this effort," he said, calling on Iran to "seize the opportunity."
He also voiced his intention to discuss the matter with US President Donald Trump, reports Xinhua news agency.
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is currently heading toward the southern Red Sea to "reduce the time required to implement" the Franco-British initiative "as soon as circumstances permit", according to a press release issued Wednesday by the French defence ministry.
This initiative to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which would not be implemented as long as the US-Iranian hostilities continue, has brought together "more than forty nations," according to the press release.
Additionally, Macron held talks with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The Iranian President has said the country is ready to pursue diplomatic paths to end the war with the United States and Israel, while insisting on safeguarding the Iranian nation's rights.
Pezeshkian expressed deep distrust of the United States, citing recent hostile actions, including two attacks on Iran during bilateral talks, which he described as "stabbing Iran in the back," according to a statement published on the website of his office.
The phone conversation came as Axios reported earlier in the day that the United States and Iran are closing in on a one-page memo to end their war, reports Xinhua news agency.
It said a potential deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, and the United States agreeing to lift sanctions, with both sides lifting restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, the United States and Israel reached the ceasefire on April 8 after 40 days of fighting that started with the US and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28.
Following the truce, Iran and the United States held one round of peace talks in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, on April 11 and 12, which failed to lead to an agreement.
Over the past weeks, the two sides have exchanged a number of proposed plans to end the war, with the latest one currently being reviewed by Iran.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting that Iran is open to talks after being stabbed in the back twice during negotiations 😐. India should step up as a mediator here, given our ties with both West and Tehran. We have much to lose if this spiral continues.
Modi ji should take note! India imports 80% of our Gulf oil through Hormuz. This Franco-British mission sounds like a prelude to more military escalation, not de-escalation. We need diplomacy, not gunboats.
"More than 40 nations" joining the French-British initiative—sounds like they're trying to build a coalition for pressure, not peace. Iran has legitimate security concerns after what it sees as US-Israeli aggression. Let's not forget that the blockade is a response to attacks on them first.
Respectfully, Macron's call for unconditional opening is naive. Iran won't trust the West given the history. India must actively engage both sides—our energy security and diaspora in Gulf are at stake. The peace talks in Islamabad failed, so maybe New Delhi can host next round? 🇮🇳
The 40-day war has already caused massive disruption for Indian exporters and importers. If this Franco-British initiative excludes Iran's consent, it'll backfire. Better to support the US-Iran memo being negotiated—practical sanctions relief for non-enrichment sounds workable.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.