France says Hormuz operations ‘never an offensive posture’

The French government on Monday said its planned maritime operations in the Strait of Hormuz are "never an offensive posture," amid Iranian warnings over possible Western naval activity in the region.

"We have said it very clearly and consistently from the start: it is an exclusively defensive posture," government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said on broadcaster BFMTV.

Bregeon said France, working with the UK and other partners, was seeking to support the restoration of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

"We have taken an initiative to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, again in an exclusively defensive posture, in coordination with the different forces in the region when security conditions allow," she said.

Iran has warned that any French or British naval deployment in or around the Strait of Hormuz would face a "decisive and immediate response" from its armed forces.

Bregeon said President Emmanuel Macron had "repeatedly" underlined France's position and rejected any suggestion of an offensive intent.

She said France's military presence in the region, including the movement of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle towards the southern Red Sea, was aimed at supporting maritime security operations.

"The objective is a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It is in line with international law and necessary for the global economy," she said.

The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline, giving way to diplomacy for a permanent solution to the war.