France ready to defend partners, Foreign Minister says

March 3, 2026 3:24 AM EST

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot gives a press conference after a crisis meeting, in Paris, France, March 2, 2026. Thibault Camus/Pool via REUTERS

PARIS, March ‌3 (Reuters) - France ​is ​ready to defend its partners if they ‌request help after Iranian retaliatory strikes ⁠and ireserves its right to ‌intervene, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel ‌Barrot said on Tuesday.

"This war... is dragging a number ​of countries in the region into the conflict with ⁠which we have relations, defence agreements, and ​interests, including military bases," Barrot told French broadcaster BFM TV.

He ​added that French ‌Rafale fighter jets carried out air operations to ⁠secure the skies above France's bases in the region. Around ⁠400,000 French nationals are currently in ​the countries affected by the crisis in the Middle East and the ‌French government is ready to fly back those most ‌at risk using both ⁠commercial and ‌military flights, Barrot ​said.

(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by Dominique ‌Vidalon)



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