Macron warns against opening 'Pandora's box' on Iran, mulls peaceful means to open Hormuz
The French president denounces countries "with the highest responsibility" starting to jeopardise international order, pointing to the role the US once played.
French President Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed plans to work with other nations on a “peaceful operation” to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and questioned the purpose of the US-Israel war on Iran.
“We want to reopen the Hormuz Strait,” Macron told students at Yonsei University during a visit to South Korea on Friday.
He said France is working with other nations to plan a peaceful mission to escort tankers and carriers through the strategic waterway.
Macron added that the operation would rely on a “deconfliction mechanism with Iran” once a ceasefire or a more stable situation is established in the ongoing war.
He said the goal is to secure a ceasefire and comprehensive negotiations "to make sure that the international community has a full view and relevant monitoring of nuclear activities, ballistic activities and the regional proxies used by Iran."
I don't believe we will fix the situation just by bombings or military operations
‘Double standards’
Macron also denounced countries "with the highest responsibility" starting to jeopardise international order, pointing to the role the US once played in building international law.
"The day you start creating yourself double standards, what is your credibility to avoid war?" he said.
He warned that countries "open a Pandora’s box” once they say, "I don't like your regime.” I don't like your organisation. I consider you to be threatening your neighbour, so I will intervene and bomb you."
While reaffirming his disagreement with the Iranian government, Macron questioned the necessity of a military intervention in the country.
"I don't believe that we will fix the situation just by bombings or by military operations. So you have to respect the sovereignty of the people. If people want to change a regime, they want to react and step up; they can do so," he added.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of global oil supplies normally transit, has been disrupted since the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, sending energy prices soaring.
US President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals on Washington’s plans for the waterway but has called on other countries, including France, to help protect the key transit route.
Trump has been criticising France and the UK for not joining the war on Iran and has mounted scathing attacks on Macron.
Macron has slammed Trump's comments as “neither elegant nor commensurate with the moment”.