Why France is bolstering military presence in the Middle East, as Macron prepares for postwar talks

PARIS: France’s government is bolstering the country’s military presence in the Middle East, dispatching its aircraft carrier and other warships, while President Emmanuel Macron engages with key players in the conflict, including Iran, in a bid to position Paris for future diplomatic talks. Macron said that France’s military involvement is strictly “defensive” and aims to avoid making the country a party to the war. He reaffirmed that position after one French soldier was killed Thursday in a drone attack in Iraq. “We are not at war with anyone,” Macron said.

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