France will not take part in military operations to open the Strait of Hormuz by force, but is prepared to help secure key maritime routes, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu told lawmakers amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
“France is not a party to the conflict; it will not participate in military operations to open the Strait of Hormuz by force; it will not allow itself to be drawn into a war that it did not choose,” Lecornu said in the National Assembly.
However, he stressed that France stands ready to work with partners to ensure the security of shipping routes in line with international law.
“We are facing a problem of energy costs, not a problem of access. We must do everything to ensure that this maritime traffic crisis does not become an energy crisis,” he added, referring to the strategic waterway.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a crucial route for global trade and energy supplies - has been severely disrupted by rising tensions in the Gulf. The escalation followed joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation.
Lecornu warned that the conflict is widening, describing it as “a war that is spreading, hitting civilian infrastructure, threatening maritime security, and destabilising an entire region over the long term.”
He also announced plans to invest an additional €8.5 billion (about $9.8 billion) in munitions between 2026 and 2030 as part of an update to France’s military programming law, which will be debated in parliament later this year.
“It is essential and it is colossal,” he said, adding that a new “France Munitions” platform will soon be created to supply the country’s armed forces and allies.
The ongoing escalation has reportedly killed more than 1,340 people, while Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as U.S. military assets in Jordan, Iraq and Gulf states.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has captured a second U.S. military unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Horm...
The European Union is considering targeted accession roadmaps for Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania, offering clearer reform priorities and ...
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and ...
Iran has called for a diplomatic solution after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected its Hormuz proposal, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was awaiting a definitive U.S. response through mediators.
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
British police have arrested five men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act after a major security incident was declared near RAF Fairford, a British air base used by U.S. air forces in Gloucestershire, England.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
Six people have died after a two-storey residential building in a tourist area of central Athens collapsed, the Greek fire brigade said on Saturday (26 September), following an explosion that the mayor said was likely linked to gas infrastructure.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has captured a second U.S. military unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded fresh accusations over alleged militant activity in Afghanistan’s northeastern Nuristan province as tensions between the two neighbours escalate.
Willy Sagnol’s six-year spell as Georgia head coach has ended, closing a historic chapter that saw the country reach its first European Championship and advance to the last 16.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on Monday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Houthi attacks increase pressure on Riyadh and threaten Red Sea shipping.
Over the past few years, Uzbekistan has expanded its startup ecosystem, IT exports and digital infrastructure - all highlighted recently as the country hosted ICTWEEK 2026. The next challenge is turning that growth into a larger part of the economy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment