Iran warns France, UK of ‘immediate response’ to any Hormuz deployment

Iran warned Britain and France on Sunday that its armed forces would launch “a decisive and immediate response” to any warships being sent to the Strait of Hormuz, after Paris and London dispatched vessels to the region.

“We remind them that both in times of war and in times of peace, only the Islamic Republic of Iran can establish security in this strait and it will not allow any country to interfere in such matters,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi posted on X.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said that France had “never envisaged” a naval deployment in the Strait of Hormuz but rather a security mission that would be “coordinated with Iran.”

At a news conference in Nairobi, Macron said he was sticking to his position after Iran warned of a “decisive and immediate response” to any French or British deployments in the strategic waterway.

Britain and France are leading efforts to create an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but only after a peace deal between the US and Iran is secured.