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French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticised the ongoing military campaign by the United States and Israel against Iran, warning that the strikes risk destabilising the region and undermining international law.
Speaking during a state visit to South Korea on Sunday, Macron described the operation as “outside the framework of international law” and cautioned it could “open a Pandora’s box.”
The French president acknowledged that Iran’s leadership remains “a very bad regime,” but insisted that military force alone cannot resolve deep-rooted geopolitical tensions.
Drawing on recent history, Macron pointed to interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya as cautionary examples where external military action failed to deliver lasting stability. His remarks reflect growing concern in European capitals that escalation in the Middle East could spiral into a broader conflict with global consequences.
Macron also underscored France’s absence from the joint US-Israeli strikes, stressing that such unilateral action sets a dangerous precedent. According to him, bypassing international consensus weakens the principle of national sovereignty and risks normalising regime-change operations without multilateral backing.
As tensions continue to rise, particularly following a renewed ultimatum to Tehran from Donald Trump, Macron is advocating what he described as a diplomatic “third way.”
The proposal centres on building a coalition of global powers to de-escalate hostilities while safeguarding key economic routes, including the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
