The French president has cautioned that an overthrow of the government in Tehran could result in widespread disorder.
French President Emmanuel Macron has voiced opposition to any efforts aimed at changing the regime in Iran, taking a stance that contrasts with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, who has recently adopted a more aggressive tone concerning Tehran.
On Tuesday, Trump issued a veiled threat directed at Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stating on Truth Social that “we know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.”
The US president further called for Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” in the ongoing conflict with Israel. Israel had launched an attack on Iran on Friday, claiming its aim was to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran, however, has denied these intentions, maintaining that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.
Also speaking on the same day, Macron emphasized his shared desire for Iran not to possess nuclear weapons, but cautioned that “the biggest error would be to use military strikes to change the regime because it would then be chaos.”
“Does anyone think that what was done in Iraq in 2003 was a good idea? Does anyone think that what was done in Libya the next decade [in 2011] was a good idea? No!” he stated, referencing the instability that commenced in both nations following Western interventions that resulted in the ousting of their long-serving leaders, Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi.
The French president continued by remarking that he is “also thinking of our friends in the region, in Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere. We must help them reduce everything that, indeed, threatens their security, but they need anything but chaos.”
He further declared, “Our responsibility is to return discussions as quickly as possible to be able to set a course again on the nuclear and ballistic question,” adding that Iran’s nuclear program ought to be restored to international oversight and its ballistic missile capabilities scaled back.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump sharply criticized Macron after the French president announced his early departure from the G7 summit in Canada, citing a need to focus on brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
“Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington,” Trump posted on Truth Social, asserting that his agenda is “much BIGGER than that.” The US leader also remarked that “whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong.”