French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday urged restraint in the growing conflict between Iran and Israel, warning that military strikes aimed at regime change would plunge the region into chaos. His remarks drew a sharp contrast with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has ramped up threats toward Tehran in recent days.
Macron, speaking from Paris, emphasized that while France remains opposed to a nuclear-armed Iran, "the biggest error would be to use military strikes to change the regime because it would then be chaos." He called instead for a swift return to negotiations and international oversight of Iran’s nuclear program.
The French leader’s comments followed a public rebuke from Trump, who dismissed Macron’s earlier suggestion that the U.S. president had left the G7 summit to help secure a cease-fire between Israel and Iran. “That’s not why I left,” Trump said Tuesday morning on X, formerly Twitter, rejecting the notion outright.
Since then, Trump has escalated his rhetoric, demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and warning that U.S. patience is running out as the air war between Israel and Iran enters its fifth day.
Israel, which has said it launched the campaign to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, despite the U.S. intelligence director stating otherwise, continues to strike targets in Iran. Tehran has denied seeking nuclear arms.
