France’s Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that “profound" changes toIranian leadershipcould not occur “through American-Israeli bombings alone," adding that war in the West Asia could continue for “several weeks."
“I don’t think you can achieve profound regime change or changes in the political system through bombings alone," Macron said aboard France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier currently stationed in the Mediterranean.
The war triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, “in this intense phase," could last “several days, perhaps several weeks," he said.
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Macron, earlier also said that France and its allies were planning a “defensive" mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and warned that an attack on Cyprus is an attack on Europe.
His statement came as he visited Cyprus to discuss regional security and demonstrate “full solidarity" with the island, which sustained the first drone attack of the US-Israel-Iran war on European territory.
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The visit follows his deployment of a warship to the eastern Mediterranean island nation, after a Shahed drone hit a British air base on its southern coast last week.
He said, “When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked. We are bound to one another by strategic partnerships."
During the visit, the French president said the mission would focus on escorting container ships and tankers to gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the most intense phase of the conflict. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) closed the strait days after U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted key military and naval forces, killing several senior commanders and former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
