SEOUL: French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said France considers it “unrealistic” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz through a military operation.
“There are people who advocate the idea of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by force, through a military operation, a position that has at times been expressed by the United States,” Macron told reporters during a visit to South Korea. “That has never been the option we have chosen, and we consider it unrealistic.”
Macron said a military operation “would take an infinite amount of time and would expose anyone passing through the strait to coastal threats from (Iran's) Revolutionary Guard, who has capabilities, ballistic missiles and many other risks.”
The reopening of the Strait “can only be done in coordination with Iran,” through negotiations that would follow a potential ceasefire, Macron said.
France is pushing for an international mission involving European and non-European nations to escort oil and gas tankers and reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the most intense phase of the conflict is over.