Iran warns UK, France against military action in Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has warned France and the United Kingdom against potential military moves in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the strategic waterway is not a venue for military posturing by outside powers. In a statement on the X platform, Gharibabadi responded to a joint declaration by the two European countries, stressing that security in the strait is the responsibility of its littoral states and describing Iran as a "responsible force" for safeguarding it. Gharibabadi added that those who provoke a crisis will bear its consequences, without elaborating. France and the United Kingdom had stated in their joint declaration that they were ready to carry out coordinated military operations to secure shipping in the strait if deemed necessary. Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron said the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle had returned home after its deployment in the Middle East. In April, France and the United Kingdom announced they would take command of a planned multinational defense mission once combat operations ended, though no further details on the timing or scope of the mission were immediately available.