Macron calls on 'all parties' to end blockade of Strait of Hormuz

Published May 6, 2026 Updated May 6, 2026 09:56pm

French President Emmanuel Macron has conveyed his concerns to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates earlier this week.

“All parties must lift the blockade of the Strait, without delay and without conditions,” he has said in a post on X. “We must durably return to the regime of full freedom of navigation that prevailed before the conflict.”

Macron adds that France’s multinational naval mission can help restore confidence among shipowners and insurers.

“It will, by its very nature, be distinct from the warring parties. The pre-positioning of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle fits within this context,” he states.

“Recent events clearly demonstrate the usefulness that such a mission would have. I have invited the Iranian president to seize this opportunity, and I intend to discuss this matter with [US] President Trump,” Macron says.

“The return of calm in the Strait will help advance negotiations on the nuclear issue, the ballistic issue, and the regional situation. The Europeans, on whom the lifting of sanctions depends, will take their place in this process.”

Opinion

Editorial

The May war
Updated 06 May, 2026

The May war

Rationality demands that both states come to the table and discuss their grievances, and their solutions in a mature manner.
Looking inwards
06 May, 2026

Looking inwards

REGULAR appraisals by human rights groups and activists should not be treated by the authorities as attempts to ...
Feeling the heat
06 May, 2026

Feeling the heat

ANOTHER heatwave season has begun, and once again, the state is scrambling to respond to conditions it has long been...
Energy shock
Updated 05 May, 2026

Energy shock

The longer the crisis persists, the more profound its consequences will be.
Unchecked HIV
05 May, 2026

Unchecked HIV

PAKISTAN’S HIV surge is no longer a slow-burning public health concern. It is now a system failure unfolding in...
PSL thrills
05 May, 2026

PSL thrills

BY the end of it all, in front of fans who had been absent for almost the entire 11th season of the Pakistan Super...