French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone on Sunday with both his American counterpart, Donald Trump, and Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, on the eve of his departure for Cyprus amidst the ongoing war in the Middle East.
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President Macron, who is the first Western official to speak with Pezeshkian since the outbreak of the war, stated in a post on the X platform: "I stressed the need for Iran to immediately cease its strikes against countries in the region."
He further noted that "Iran must also ensure freedom of navigation by ending its closure of the Strait of Hormuz." Macron did not disclose any details regarding the conversation with Trump.
The French President reiterated to his Iranian counterpart his "deep concern regarding Iran's development of its nuclear and ballistic programs and all its destabilizing activities in the region," pointing out that "the current crisis has resulted from this."
Macron emphasized the necessity of "ensuring the safety of Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who are currently on the premises of the French Embassy, and their return to France," describing this as an "absolute priority."
After more than three years in detention, the two French nationals were sentenced in October to 20 and 17 years in prison, respectively, on charges of spying for Israel. They were released in early November but placed under house arrest at the embassy and barred from leaving Iranian territory. — (AFP)
