Macron Speaks with Iranian President, Calls for Opening of Strait of Hormuz

French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, during which he called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. The conversation took place shortly after the French military announced that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was sailing through the Suez Canal toward the southern Red Sea. The timing of the diplomatic contact suggests France is coordinating military positioning in Middle Eastern waters with diplomatic outreach to Iran, which controls access to the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz that serves as a crucial chokepoint for global oil shipments from the Persian Gulf.