France Ready to Defend Gulf Allies from Iran Attacks

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on Monday that the country stands ready to defend its Gulf allies against Iranian missile and drone attacks, as tensions in the Middle East spiraled following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The escalation, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli operations on February 28 targeting Iranian military facilities, has prompted retaliatory strikes by Iran across the region, raising fears of a broader conflict.

Barrot expressed France's "full support and complete solidarity" with nations including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan, which he said were deliberately targeted by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. "France stands ready, in accordance with the agreements that bind it to its partners and with the principle of collective self-defense provided under international law, to take part in their defense," Barrot stated during a broadcast on French television and at a Paris press conference. He emphasized that the attacks threaten French interests, including military installations and approximately 400,000 French citizens in the region.