French Warship Heads to Hormuz Amid Potential Defensive Mission

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1223 EAT on Thursday 7 May 2026

France has deployed an aircraft carrier towards the Red Sea as part of preparations for a potential defensive mission to help secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial maritime corridor disrupted by the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran.

The French Ministry of the Armed Forces announced on Wednesday that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was moving south of the Suez Canal towards the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint that previously handled nearly a fifth of global oil trade before the conflict escalated.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are spearheading a multinational initiative aimed at restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, insisting the proposed mission would be strictly defensive and deployed only after the end of the war.

The leaders said the operation is intended to reassure global shipping companies and insurers amid growing instability in the strategic waterway.

“[It] may help restore confidence among shipowners and insurers,” Macron wrote on X, adding that the initiative “remains distinct from the parties at war.”
Macron, who held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday, said he also plans to discuss the matter with United States President Donald Trump.

“A return to calm in the Strait will help advance negotiations on nuclear issues, ballistic matters and the regional situation,” Macron said.

France is presenting the proposed mission as a mutually beneficial arrangement for both Iran and the United States, in a bid to encourage the two sides to support the initiative.

Under the proposal, Iran would regain safe passage for its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for renewed negotiations with Washington on nuclear activities, missile development and broader regional security issues.

“What we are proposing is that Iran gains passage for its ships through the strait and, in return, commits to negotiating with the Americans on issues of nuclear materials, missiles and the region,” a French presidency official told the AFP news agency.

“We also propose that the Americans, for their part, lift their blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and, in return, obtain Iran’s commitment to negotiations,” the official added.

The announcement comes as Tehran says it is reviewing a United States proposal that President Donald Trump claims could pave the way for an end to the war.

Trump signalled progress in the negotiations on Wednesday, while simultaneously warning that Washington could resume bombing campaigns if Tehran rejects the proposal.

Iran, however, downplayed reports suggesting an agreement was imminent, insisting it had not yet submitted its formal response through Pakistani mediators.

Although Trump has repeatedly expressed optimism about the prospects of a deal to end the conflict, major disagreements remain between the two sides, particularly over Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the strait of Hormuz.

Reuters, citing a Pakistani source and another individual familiar with the mediation efforts, reported that both sides were nearing agreement on a one-page memorandum intended to formally end the conflict.

US news outlet Axios also reported that Washington and Tehran were “getting close” to a draft memorandum under which Iran would agree not to pursue the development of a nuclear weapon and suspend uranium enrichment for at least 12 years.

In exchange, the United States would lift sanctions, release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets, and both sides would commit to reopening the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days of signing the agreement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was still reviewing the proposal and had not yet issued an official response.
“The investigation into the exchanged texts is ongoing,” Baghaei said.

-Aljazeera

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