Macron: France 'not waging war' in Middle East, will stay out of conflict

French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a clear message Friday distancing France from the escalating Middle East conflict, stating unequivocally that Paris is "not waging war" in the region and will not join the Israeli-US offensive against Iran. In a voice message shared on Instagram responding to a young social media user's concerns about the conflict's repercussions, Macron sought to reassure French citizens about their country's position.

France's red lines

"I understand very well and I hear your concern, but I wanted to be very clear," Macron said. "France is not part of this war. We are not in the fight and we are not going to get involved in this war," he added, according to BFMTV. The president emphasized that Paris' actions in the region are focused on protecting its citizens and allies rather than participating in the conflict. "France is not waging war in this region. It is protecting French men and women, its allies, and it stands with Lebanon," Macron stated.

Defensive deployments only

Despite the non-participation stance, France has deployed additional military assets to the region, including the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, as tensions rise following US-Israeli strikes on Iran that have killed approximately 1,000 people including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Macron, these deployments serve purely defensive purposes: helping allies intercept drones and missiles and safeguarding maritime routes. "We are mobilizing in a completely peaceful manner to try to secure maritime traffic," he explained.

Coalition for sea routes

Macron also revealed that France is seeking to build a coalition with partners to protect sea routes in the region that are "essential to the global economy," while emphasizing that Paris intends to act with restraint. "We will try to be as reasonable and peaceful as possible because that is France's role," he added. The statement comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to maritime traffic, disrupting global energy supplies and sending oil prices soaring amid Iranian retaliatory strikes targeting Gulf states.