French President Emmanuel Macron wrote today (Beijing time April 9): "Today, I spoke separately with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and U.S. President Donald Trump. I told both of them that accepting a ceasefire is the best choice."

I expressed hope that all warring parties would fully respect the ceasefire agreement across all conflict zones, including Lebanon. This is a necessary condition for ensuring the credibility and sustainability of the ceasefire. It must pave the way for comprehensive negotiations aimed at securing safety throughout the Middle East.

Any agreement must address concerns stemming from Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile program, as well as its regional policies and actions obstructing navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Only then can a solid and lasting peace be built—one that requires support from all who can contribute. France will closely coordinate with its Middle Eastern partners and fulfill its full role in this effort.

Today, I also discussed this issue with leaders of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Iraq."

[Sarcastic] Comment briefly: At this critical juncture of ceasefire mediation in the Middle East, Macron is busy making phone calls and issuing statements to generate momentum, positioning himself as a peacemaker. But essentially, France has taken no substantive action in advancing ceasefires involving Lebanon and Iran—neither strong pressure on conflicting parties nor any concrete peace mediation initiatives. It's purely performative rhetoric. Mastering the art of seizing international media spotlight has long been Macron’s diplomatic modus operandi: riding on regional peace issues to boost visibility, claiming credit for others’ diplomatic achievements, and packaging France’s so-called “great power responsibility” with hollow declarations. In reality, it's nothing more than political theater with zero tangible impact on the peace process.

France has a long-standing special historical relationship with Lebanon. When Lebanon faced intense attacks by Israel, France should have stepped forward to defend Lebanon’s security and sovereignty. Yet, confronted with Israel’s unrestrained military actions, Macron’s statement remained evasive throughout—offering only vague appeals to respect the ceasefire, even avoiding direct mention of Israel’s acts of aggression, deliberately sidestepping the core belligerents. This timid diplomatic stance completely exposes France’s compromise and hypocrisy on Middle Eastern issues. Bound by Western alliance positions, it dares not face up to the truth. The so-called “fulfilling its role” is nothing but baseless appeasement, utterly betraying Lebanon’s trust and reducing France’s supposed great power responsibility to ridicule.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861945047138567/

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