French-owned ship crosses Strait of Hormuz as Macron backs Iran's sovereignty

A container ship of French ownership has successfully transited the contested waters of the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first known vessel owned by a Western European entity to pass through the vital waterway since the start of the war in West Asia.

The CMA CGM Kribi sailed from waters off Dubai towards Iran on Thursday afternoon, with ship-tracking data confirming its French ownership. The vessel hugged the Iranian coastline, passing through a channel between the islands of Qeshm and Larak while broadcasting its position. By Friday morning, it was reported to be off Muscat after successfully crossing the strait, according to Bloomberg News.

Since the start of the war in West Asia on February 28, Iran has effectively restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reducing shipments through the vital waterway to minimal levels in retaliation for the US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran, which targeted its leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and key figures in the regime and the IRGC.

The transit signals a possible coordination between Tehran and Paris, in contrast to the strained ties between the United States and France, which have come under pressure amid the Iran war, aggravating divisions among NATO allies.

Although differences between Paris and Washington have long existed over issues such as defence sales and strategic priorities, they have grown increasingly sharp and public since Donald Trump returned to the White House for a second term. Disputes over Greenland and NATO have further deepened the unease in bilateral relations.

Also Read: Zelensky invites US team to Kyiv for Russia talks; Moscow launches 500 drones, missiles

A significant moment came when French President Emmanuel Macron took a firm stance against Trump's proposals on Iran, including suggestions of using force to secure the waterway, an idea Macron has publicly dismissed as "unrealistic."

“There are those who advocate for the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz by force through a military operation, a position sometimes expressed by the United States”, Macron said, adding that “I say 'sometimes' because it has varied. It is never the option we have chosen, and we consider it unrealistic”.

Although, Macron endorsed the broader assessment that Iran is a deeply problematic regime, while drawing a clear line on method: "I don't believe that we will fix the situation just by bombings or by military operations."

He cited past US campaigns in "Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Libya," adding: "You have to respect the sovereignty of people. If people want to change a regime, want to react, step up, they can do so."

The French President also responded to Trump's frequent shifts in position on critical issues, as well as personal remarks directed at his wife, Brigitte Macron.

"You have to be serious. When you want to be serious, you don't say the opposite every day of what you said the day before. And perhaps you shouldn't talk every day," Macron said.

The comments about his marriage were, he said, "neither elegant nor up to standard" and "do not merit a response."