Macron orders France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday ordered France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean to help protect allied assets during the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Macron said the Charles de Gaulle carrier will be escorted by frigates and its air wing. In a pre-recorded speech on French TV, Macron added that Rafale fighter jets, air-defense systems and airborne radar systems have been deployed over the past few hours in the Middle East.

“And we will continue this effort as much as necessary,” Macron said.

France, the U.K. and Germany have previously said that they weren’t involved in the strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel that began late last week, but were prepared to take defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones.

Macron, however, said that French forces had shot down drones “in legitimate self-defense in the very first hours of the conflict, to defend the airspace of our allies, who know they can rely on us.” He did not elaborate.

In explaining the need to move France’s aircraft carrier, Macron cited Monday’s strike on a British air force base on Cyprus, adding that Cyprus was a member of the European Union with which France has recently signed a strategic partnership.

“This requires our support,” Macron said.

Macron also said that France has defense agreements binding the EU nation to Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as strong commitments to Jordan and Iraq.

Noting that the war had spread to Lebanon, Macron said the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group made “the grave mistake of striking Israel” and putting the Lebanese people in danger but warned against Israel launching a ground operation.

“This, too, would be a dangerous escalation and a strategic error,” he said. “Hezbollah must imperatively cease all strikes, and I call on Israel to respect Lebanese territory and its integrity.”

Reflecting France’s traditional support for the rules of international law, Macron noted that France “cannot approve” of the strikes by Israel and the U.S. on Iran because they were outside of an international mandate.

He said it would it be “desirable” to end the strikes as quickly as possible, and that lasting peace in the region can only be achieved through the resumption of diplomatic negotiations.

“And I also wish here to express the hope that the Iranian people may themselves freely decide their own destiny,” Macron added.

“That said, history never weeps for the executioners of their own people, and none of them will be mourned,” he said in reference to the killings of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other Iran top officials.

Macron also insisted on Iran’s responsibility for the conflict.

“It is Iran that developed a dangerous nuclear program and unprecedented ballistic capabilities; that armed and financed terrorist groups in neighboring countries—Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Shiite militias in Iraq—and that supported Hamas, while always affirming its objective of destroying the State of Israel,” he said.