Video: Macron explains France’s decision to stay out of US-Israeli strikes on Iran
Abdullateef Fowewe
French President Emmanuel Macron has reiterated that France stayed out of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran because the operation “was not the right option,” while stressing that Paris remains a strong ally of the United States.
In a recent interview, Macron said, “This is true that we were not there, not because we were not there for the US. We do respect the US and we are, I think, good allies. It was not the right option.”
The comments come months after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February and early March 2026.
The initial operations, which included the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, prompted Iranian retaliatory attacks across the region and disrupted shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
France has consistently maintained that it was neither consulted nor involved in the offensive actions, describing them as conducted outside the framework of international law.
Paris has limited its role to defensive measures to protect French interests and nationals, while advocating diplomacy and a potential post-ceasefire international effort to secure the waterway.
Macron’s latest statements underscore France’s long-standing position of non-participation in the ongoing conflict, even as energy prices and regional instability continue to affect global markets.
