GAccording to a report by The Independent on Monday, March 16, 2026, after speaking on the phone with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, French President Emmanuel Macron demanded that Iran immediately end what he deemed as “unacceptable attacks” in the Middle East, in the midst of the continuing regional crisis.
X was the social media platform where Macron made his speech in which he stated he pressed Tehran to halt its military actions, both directly and via affiliated forces in countries like Iraq and Lebanon.
In a statement, Macron warned that the continuous escalation might lead to the Middle East being plunged into protracted instability and urged Trump to immediately stop Iran’s intolerable attacks on countries in the region.
In order to secure its national interests, regional allies, and international marine lanes, the French leader stressed that France’s role in the region is purely defensive.
“I informed him that France is responding in a very defensive manner… and that it is intolerable that our nation is being singled out,” Macron remarked.
French President Emmanuel Macron has made reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway for energy supplies around the world, a top priority.
The speaker emphasised the need to restore freedom of travel in the Strait of Hormuz promptly, highlighting the wider economic and geopolitical consequences of the waterway’s ongoing interruption.
Additionally, Macron has cautioned that the present course of the conflict would have devastating long-term effects on both governments and citizens in the area.
The entire region is being thrown into disorder by the unrestrained escalation, which will have huge ramifications both now and in the future. He noted that the Iranian people, along with others in the region, are bearing the brunt of the consequences.
Looking ahead, the French president emphasised the importance of a refreshed security and political framework to guarantee long-term stability.
This framework, he said, has to take into account Iran’s nuclear aspirations, ballistic missile program, and what he called destabilising regional actions, among other things.
While addressing other regional security concerns, Macron emphasised that any eventual deal must prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The escalating tensions between Iran, the US, Israel, and other regional players have prompted this appeal, which might spark a larger war with far-reaching consequences for international trade and stability.