France will never take part in operations to unblock Hormuz Strait amid hostilities, says Emmanuel Macron

PARIS: ​President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday France ​would never take part in operations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, pushing back on comments by U.S. President Donald ‌Trump that ⁠Paris ⁠was willing to help.

Trump, speaking at a White House ​event on Monday, said he had spoken to Macron, giving him ​an '8 out of 10' score on his stance towards getting allies to unblock the Strait of ​Hormuz, and suggested Macron would join ⁠U.S.-backed efforts.

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"We ‌are not party to the ​conflict ​and therefore France will never take part ⁠in operations to open or liberate the ​Strait of Hormuz in the current context," ​Macron said at the start of a cabinet meeting to discuss the conflicts in the Middle East.

France has been pushing on with its efforts to put together a coalition to secure ‌the Strait of Hormuz once the security situation stabilises and without a U.S. ​role, French ​officials have said.

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"We are ⁠convinced that once the situation has calmed down-and I deliberately use this term broadly - once the situation has ​calmed down, that is to say, once the main bombing has ceased, we are ready, along with other nations, to assume responsibility for the escort system," Macron said.