Macron urges leaders of Iran and the US to unblock the Strait of Hormuz

French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with the presidents of the United States and Iran, during which he urged them to refrain from obstructing the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

"It is no less important that the Strait of Hormuz be reopened as soon as possible without preconditions and without any controls or fees," he wrote on X.

Macron added that on April 17, France and the United Kingdom will hold a videoconference with the participation of other countries to discuss a potential "purely defensive mission" to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which, however, will only be possible "when the security situation allows."

The head of state also called on US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to resume negotiations interrupted in Islamabad, to "clear up misunderstandings and avoid new stages of escalation." He also advocated for strict adherence to the truce agreed upon between the two countries and for extending this truce to Lebanon, where Israel is conducting a military operation against the Hezbollah movement.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, came under attack. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation, striking Israel. Iranian authorities also decided to close the Strait of Hormuz to ships associated with the US, Israel, and countries supporting the aggression against the Islamic Republic.

On April 11, Iran and the US held several rounds of talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. The Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while the American delegation was headed by Vice President JD Vance. As both sides later reported, they failed to reach an agreement on the long-term resolution of the conflict due to a number of disagreements. The prospects for advancing dialogue between Tehran and Washington remain unclear. The White House announced its intention to impose a naval blockade on Iran starting April 13.

Source: TASS