RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - France has rejected to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz despite US President Donald Trump's call for allies to help secure the vital shipping lane. The Strait has been largely closed to tanker traffic since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, affecting global oil trade.

Trump had urged countries reliant on Gulf oil to take responsibility for protecting the Strait, saying "I'm demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory." However, France insists on a strictly defensive approach and won't join the war on Iran.

The French Foreign Ministry confirmed that France's naval mission is in the Eastern Mediterranean and remains "defensive". This decision comes as Trump increases pressure on European allies to help protect the Strait, warning that NATO faces a "very bad" future if members fail to assist the US.

French President, Emmanuel Macron, has spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait. Macron emphasized that France is acting within a strictly defensive framework and urged Iran to end attacks on Middle East countries.

France will dedicate two frigates to the European Union's Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation Aspides in support of military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz. The operation aims to prevent attacks on merchant shipping by the Houthis.

The US and its allies, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, rely on the Strait of Hormuz to export petroleum products. The region is responsible for a quarter of the world's oil and gas production.

Other countries, including the UK, Greece, Italy, and Pakistan, have announced new deployments in response to Iranian retaliation strikes. The Italian Navy is dispatching a guided-missile frigate to provide air defense coverage for Cyprus.

The situation remains tense, with both sides refusing to back down. The international community is working to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz

Source : RFI.fr