France Asserts NATO Not Intended for Operations in Strait of Hormuz
France’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Alice Rufo, has asserted that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military alliance “is not intended” to conduct operations in the Strait of Hormuz. This statement came after the United States criticised France’s stance on the Iran war.
The assertion, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Thursday (2 April 2026), was made by Rufo during a forum organised by the media outlet Le Point on Wednesday (1 April) local time.
In her remarks, Rufo assessed that military operations in the Strait of Hormuz “would not respect international law”.
“Let me remind you what NATO is: it is a military alliance related to territorial security in the Euro-Atlantic region,” Rufo emphasised at the forum.
She stated that France does not support the US-led initiative to reopen the Strait of Hormuz through a coalition.
The Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed by the Iranian regime for weeks, since the war triggered by combined US and Israeli attacks raged at the end of February. This has sparked a global energy crisis, driving sharp rises in oil and gas prices.
Rufo explained in her statement that Paris prefers “to endeavour to restore the flow and freedom of maritime navigation, and to do so through non-offensive means”. However, she acknowledged the US’s “frustration” with the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rufo also emphasised that NATO’s Article 5 is based on collective defence, stating: “This is not one country protecting another; it is collective. It is called collective defence, and deterrence is also collective.”
She said that the alliance would be stronger if it avoids divisions and remains focused on its core mission.
Furthermore, Rufo underlined that she was speaking on behalf of “a founding nation of the Atlantic alliance and on behalf of the European Union”. She stated that Europe must bear a greater share in the defence of its own countries.
“This is not just France’s message today,” she said, while asserting that the US is also increasingly calling for stronger European responsibility in defence matters.
“What we want is to advance European defence within the Atlantic alliance. This creates reliability and trust – and trust is stronger,” said Rufo, who also stated that trust depends on “the willingness to defend ourselves”, particularly in Europe.