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.
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At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Residents of villages in eastern Indonesia hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
Uzbekistan is putting renewable energy, water security, waste management and climate-resilient cities at the centre of its growth strategy as it seeks to modernise infrastructure and attract green investment.
A power disturbance that swept across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on 14 August has highlighted both the benefits and vulnerabilities of Central Asia’s interconnected electricity grid.
Iran says it will use all diplomatic and legal channels to determine the fate of three Air Force pilots it believes are being held in Qatar after their fighter jets were downed during the March war.
Kazakhstan has launched a unified digital platform to track coal supplies in real time, giving officials a clearer view of production, shipments, stocks and prices ahead of the heating season.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to end the war in Gaza returned to the diplomatic arena on Sunday (16 August), as his envoys met Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo while Israeli strikes continued across the strip.
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