Macron says France not to take part in operations in Strait of Hormuz

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that France will never take part in operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz "in the current context," reported Xinhua.

"We are not a party to the conflict, and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or free the Strait of Hormuz in the current context," Macron said during a Defense and National Security Council meeting on Iran and the Middle East.

"However, we are convinced that once the situation is calmer -- that is, once the bulk of the bombardment has ceased -- we are ready, together with other nations, to take responsibility for an escort system," Macron added.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he had "demanded" several countries heavily reliant on Middle East oil to join a coalition to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which about 20 percent of the world's oil passes.

Macron said discussions had already taken place with "India and several other European or regional partners," stressing that "this effort will require discussions and deconfliction with Iran, because it cannot under any circumstances be a coercive operation."

On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians.

Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East and effectively closing access to the Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes have come into its third week and only 77 vessels have transited the strait since March, data from Lloyd's List Intelligence showed, a drop of about 90 percent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, multiple European nations and the European Union have voiced reluctance or outright opposition to Trump's call for a military mission to ensure safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Stressing the need for diplomatic solutions and warning against further regional escalation, European leaders have underscored that the current conflict should not evolve into a NATO mission or draw the continent into a broader war.