RIYADH: Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron, during which the leaders discussed the latest regional developments and their implications, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Monday.
During the conversation, Macron expressed France’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and strongly condemned repeated Iranian attacks on the Kingdom. He reaffirmed Paris’s support for all measures Riyadh takes to protect its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.
The call comes amid escalating regional tensions. A day earlier, Macron urged all parties to halt strikes on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, and called on Iran to ensure the free passage of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, warning on X of the potential for “uncontrollable escalation.”
France has also stepped up its criticism of Iran in recent days. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, during a visit to Israel on Friday, emphasised that any lasting resolution to the Middle East conflict must be rooted in a political settlement that requires Tehran to change its approach fundamentally.
“Whatever the outcome of the ongoing military operations, it must be complemented by a political solution that produces lasting results,” Barrot told journalists in Tel Aviv, adding that “the Iranian regime must be prepared to make major concessions — a radical change of stance.”
Barrot also joined other European leaders in calling for an end to attacks on energy infrastructure, after an Israeli strike on Iran’s major gas field helped push energy prices higher.
