PARIS, March 27. /TASS/. The United States launched its own military campaign against Iran without consulting allies and now demands that everyone join them, not exactly the best way to foster cooperation, French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin told Cnews.
"When the war began on March 1, the US did not see fit, for example, to call France to share their plans, <...> they acted alone, and today they are asking everyone to join them," she said. According to her, France is taking a "defensive" position, seeking a diplomatic solution, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Paris is looking after its defense interests, having deployed the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Eastern Mediterranean, reinforced its six Rafale jets in the UAE with an additional six, added air defense systems, and strengthened security at French military facilities, including the evacuation of family members of stationed personnel from the region.
The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also hit. On March 11, Khatam al-Anbiya, the central headquarters of the Iranian army, said that Iran would not allow any oil cargo related to the United States and its allies to be transported through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that accounts for a fifth of global oil exports.