France maintains naval fleet in Mediterranean despite Trump's call for Strait of Hormuz deployment

Moscow (ANTARA) - France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Sunday that the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would remain deployed in the eastern Mediterranean, despite US President Donald Trump’s request for several nations to send vessels to ensure security in the Strait of Hormuz.

On Saturday, Trump called upon China, France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and other nations to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz.

Paris’s position regarding the situation in the Middle East remains unchanged and continues to be defensive in nature, the ministry added.

On Thursday, French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin stated that the French government had no plans to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions in the region.

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched strikes against targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by attacking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East.

Escalating tensions surrounding Iran have resulted in a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the primary route for shipping oil and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf nations to global markets, and have also affected oil production and export levels in the region.