France to bolster military presence in the Middle East

PARIS — France will bolster its military presence in the Middle East after an Iranian counterattack hit a French naval base in the region.

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking ahead of an emergency security and defense council Sunday evening, said France will “strengthen its [military] position and defensive support to stand alongside those with whom we have defense treaties and be able to adapt our stance to the developments of the last few hours.”

Paris said Saturday it was not informed about or involved in the American and Israeli strikes on Iran. Macron initially called for diplomacy to resume — but his tone shifted after two Iranian drones hit a French naval base in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.

France, alongside Germany and the United Kingdom, announced in a statement Sunday evening that it would work with the U.S. and others to “defend our interests and those of our allies in the region.”

That could include “enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” the statement said.

BFMTV reported that France would divert its aircraft carrier from the Baltic Sea to the eastern Mediterranean, but two French officials have told POLITICO that wasn’t the case.