Overview
- Macron, speaking Thursday during a visit to South Korea, said using force to free the Strait of Hormuz is not a realistic option.
- He warned such an operation would drag on and leave ships crossing the waterway exposed to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and to ballistic missiles.
- The remarks followed President Donald Trump’s public challenge to U.S. allies to work toward reopening the strait.
- Macron said France has never backed a plan to force the waterway open and linked the idea to positions sometimes voiced by the United States.
- Political Wire, citing the Wall Street Journal, reported that he also criticized shifting messages from Washington as a sign of a lack of seriousness.