French President Emmanuel Macron criticised the handling of public messaging around the Iran war, saying the conflict demands consistency rather than shifting statements.
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Speaking to reporters during a state visit to South Korea, Macron appeared to target remarks by US President Donald Trump, whose administration has issued differing signals on the course of the conflict.
Macron questions US messaging on Iran war
“This is not a show,” Macron said, stressing that the stakes involve war, peace and human lives. He added that serious diplomacy requires avoiding daily reversals in public statements and suggested leaders should sometimes remain silent to allow tensions to ease.
The conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has entered its second month. France and several European governments have supported parts of the US effort in the region but have resisted deeper military involvement.
Washington has sent mixed signals about the war’s trajectory. At various points the Trump administration has suggested a ceasefire could be near, claimed the conflict had already been won, or indicated that operations would continue.
Nato remarks and alliance concerns
Macron also criticised comments by Trump about reconsidering US membership in North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
He said alliances depend on trust and reliability rather than public speculation about commitments. Casting doubt on participation weakens the organisation’s value, he argued.
According to Macron, partners demonstrate commitment by standing together during crises rather than debating whether obligations will be honoured.
“I feel like there is too much chatter,” he said, describing the debate around the alliance as unfocused.
Macron also stressed that France had not taken part in the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. The operation, he said, was planned and launched by Washington and its allies without broader international coordination.
“They decided on it themselves,” Macron said, adding that it was therefore not France’s operation.
Questions over Iran nuclear claims
The French president also referred to US air strikes against Iran in mid-2025, which Trump said had destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities.
However, after the war began in early 2026, the US president described the conflict as the “last best chance” to halt Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.
Macron said those statements appeared contradictory. He noted that Washington had previously claimed the facilities were fully eliminated.
He argued that lasting control of Iran’s nuclear programme would require international monitoring rather than limited military strikes. Knowledge, personnel and hidden infrastructure could remain even after attacks on known sites, he said.
Short-term military action alone would not permanently resolve the issue, Macron added.
Tensions with Trump and Strait of Hormuz crisis
Relations between the two leaders have grown increasingly strained. Trump recently mocked Macron at a private lunch, imitating a French accent and making remarks about Macron’s wife, Brigitte Macron.
The US president also referenced a widely circulated 2025 video showing Macron being pushed in the face by his wife.
Macron dismissed the comments as lacking dignity and said they did not merit a response. Political figures across France, including critics of Macron, condemned the remarks.
Meanwhile, Iran has responded to the conflict by closing the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route that carries a large share of global energy supplies.
Trump has suggested that countries affected by the disruption should resolve the problem themselves.
Macron rejected the idea of launching a military operation to reopen the waterway. He said such a mission would be dangerous and slow, exposing vessels to threats from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which he said possesses ballistic missiles and other coastal defence systems.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 3 April 2026
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