France has declared it is prepared to help defend Gulf nations and Jordan amid escalating missile and drone attacks across the region.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Monday that Paris stands in full solidarity with countries targeted in the latest wave of strikes attributed to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Iran has launched multiple missile and drone attacks on several Gulf states, claiming it is targeting US military installations following coordinated US-Israeli strikes that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei over the weekend.
Responding to the unfolding crisis, Barrot said France firmly supports nations that were “deliberately targeted” and drawn into a conflict they did not initiate.
He specifically mentioned Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan.
“France expresses its full support and complete solidarity,” Barrot stated, adding that Paris is ready—under existing defence agreements and the principle of collective self-defence under international law—to assist in protecting its partners if necessary.
The French minister also noted that about 400,000 French citizens are living in or visiting Gulf countries, underscoring Paris’ heightened concern over the deteriorating security situation.
France, alongside Germany and the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement on Sunday reaffirming their readiness to defend their interests and those of regional allies.
The three nations condemned Iran’s actions, warning that the attacks pose a threat to allied countries, military personnel and civilians across the region. They further stated they could support “necessary and proportionate defensive action” aimed at neutralising Iran’s missile and drone capabilities at their source.
Meanwhile, fresh explosions were reported on Monday in major Gulf cities including Dubai, Doha and Manama, as tensions continued to intensify.
Iran’s military said it had deployed 15 cruise missiles targeting a US air base in Kuwait and vessels in the Indian Ocean, signalling a possible expansion of the conflict’s scope.