France, China Vow to Join Forces on Middle East De-Escalation
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed the joint commitment after a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, with both sides agreeing on the urgent need for diplomatic intervention alongside Gulf nations.
In a Foreign Ministry statement published Monday, Barrot placed blame squarely on Tehran for the spiral into conflict, saying the "Iranian regime bears responsibility for the ongoing escalation," citing its "unjustifiable attacks" in the region and its refusal to comply with UN Security Council resolutions on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
The French minister went further, condemning Tehran's "refusal to engage in good faith in multilateral negotiations" and recalling "the scale of the human rights violations" during a January crackdown on protests.
Barrot was equally pointed about Paris's exclusion from the US-Israeli military action, stating the operation "was conducted without France's participation or information," and asserting that it is "each country's responsibility to prioritize international institutions for resolving disputes and, if necessary, resorting to force."
Despite those tensions with Washington, France and China found common ground, agreeing on "the need to work towards de-escalation, in conjunction with the Gulf countries," and to pursue "a political settlement guaranteeing collective security interests" under the framework of UN Security Council resolutions and international law.
The diplomatic maneuvering unfolds against a rapidly deteriorating security landscape. Since US and Israeli forces launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran on Saturday — killing Khamenei and 786 others — Tehran has retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and US-linked installations across Gulf states. At least six American service members have been killed and numerous others wounded in the exchanges.
The strikes also blindsided ongoing diplomatic efforts — the attack erupted in the middle of indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, a back-channel dialogue that had been quietly brokered by Oman.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
