The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has arrived in the waters near the Arabian Peninsula
On Friday, French Minister of Armed Forces Alice Rufo announced that the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its escort group have arrived in the waters near the Arabian Peninsula and completed their forward deployment, ready to carry out "neutral" missions if necessary, aimed at restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking in an interview with French BFM TV, Rufo stated: "The carrier has passed through the Suez Canal and entered the Arabian Sea, arriving at its designated area—but it has not entered the Strait of Hormuz."
She added: "France's consistent position has been to create conditions for restoring maritime freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, such actions are absolutely not offensive; they are purely defensive and strictly comply with international law."
Rufo noted that the presence of the Charles de Gaulle in the Gulf region enables France "to better assess the situation and exert influence in regional and global diplomatic negotiations."
Subsequently, the minister posted on the social platform X that the Charles de Gaulle is currently "deployed in the Red Sea area, carrying out its mission by defending maritime freedom of navigation while maintaining distance from all warring parties."
Currently, France and the United Kingdom are leading a maritime coalition composed of approximately 40 non-belligerent nations. This coalition has proposed establishing a multinational joint mission: once Iran and the United States agree to lift their respective blockades, and after consultation with both sides, jointly ensure the safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865326645456896/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.