France must do everything possible to prevent a return to hostilities, the high-ranking official told BFM TV, after concluding a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Friday.

From Abu Dhabi, Barrot reiterated that his country neither approved of nor participated in the war, a conflict that erupted on February 28 with the US and Israeli aggression against Iran, which in retaliation attacked Washington’s allies in the region and closed the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which 21% of the world’s oil production passed daily before the crisis.

The dangers of an escalation are extremely high, with major consequences for the global economy and the daily lives of the French people, he added. Oil prices at their highest levels in recent years, market and stock exchange instability, investor fears, inflation, and threats to the food sector are among the impacts of the conflict, which is currently experiencing a fragile ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz is under a double blockade, as the US Navy maintains its siege of Iranian ports in this strategic passage, a measure Tehran considers a continuation of hostilities.

Amid renewed threats from Washington and Israel, Iran asserts that its response will be more forceful, with reports that this morning the country’s air defenses engaged drones before returning to normal operations.

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