French President Emmanuel Macron is set to convene a new National Defense and Security Council meeting Tuesday afternoon “to address the situation in Iran and the Middle East,” the Elysee Palace said.
The meeting, bringing together ministers and senior officials responsible for security matters, marks the fifth such session since the outbreak of the regional conflict 25 days ago. Macron had previously held similar meetings on Feb. 28 and on March 1, 2, 10 and 17.
The development comes as U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a potential shift, referring to possible “negotiations” with an unidentified Iranian official.
As with previous sessions, the meeting aims to assess France’s actions to ensure its national security, as well as the safety of its citizens and partner countries across the Middle East.
Several Iranian officials have denied any direct talks with the U.S. since Feb. 28. However, the Foreign Ministry acknowledged receiving messages via “friendly countries” conveying a U.S. request for negotiations to end the conflict.
On his platform Truth Social, Trump also announced a five-day delay in strikes he had threatened against power plants and other infrastructure in Iran, warning they would proceed unless Tehran reopened the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies.
In response to Trump’s ultimatum, Iran threatened to fully close the passage and target “all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the United States,” according to the Fars News Agency, citing the Iranian military.
On Saturday, 22 countries, including France, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan, said they were “ready to contribute to efforts” required to reopen the strait.
In Lebanon, where the conflict has killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over 1 million, the Israeli military has resumed strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
