The French aircraft carrier convoy of warships arrived “in the area” of the Arabian Sea, and are prepared in the event of the launch of a “neutral” mission to restore navigation in the , Deputy Minister of Defense Alice Rifo announced today.
“It crossed the Suez Canal, proceeded to the Arabian Sea and is in the area, but it is not in the Straits of Hormuz,” Rifo told French broadcaster BFM.
“From the beginning, France’s position was to offer the possibility of restoring freedom of maritime navigation in the Straits, but in a way that is not aggressive at all, but completely defensive and in line with international law,” he stressed.
Increased presence of Europeans in the Gulf region
The flagship of the French fleet transited the Suez Canal on May 6 before making a several-day stop in Djibouti, where France maintains a naval base.
Charles de Gaulle’s presence in the Gulf region “gives us the means to assess the situation and influence regional and global diplomacy,” the deputy minister noted.
France and the United Kingdom continue their initiative to establish an international alliance that will take action to guarantee the security of the strait after the war is settled.
