France dispatches the "Charles de Gaulle" aircraft carrier to the Red Sea, planning to participate in the escort mission through the Strait of Hormuz

BlockBeats News, on May 7th, local time in France, announced that the “Charles de Gaulle” aircraft carrier strike group has been dispatched to the southern Red Sea to prepare for possible escort missions through the Strait of Hormuz in the future. The formation includes one Italian warship and one Dutch warship.

France stated that the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is continuously impacting the global economy, and the risk of escalation is “unacceptable,” therefore, it is promoting a Europe-led neutral escort plan and calling on the United States and Iran to accept mediation initiatives.

According to the plan proposed by France, Iranian ships can continue to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and in exchange, Iran must commit to negotiations with the U.S. on nuclear issues, missiles, and regional situations; the U.S. will lift the blockade of the strait. France also plans to collaborate with multinational forces to provide security escort for commercial ships in the strait.

The French military stated that this deployment aims to assess the regional operational environment, enhance crisis response capabilities, integrate allied military resources, and stabilize global shipping market confidence.

Previously, France refused to support the Trump administration’s maritime blockade policy against Iran and was criticized by the U.S. for it. As the Middle East situation escalates and oil prices remain high, European countries are accelerating their involvement in regional security affairs to safeguard their energy and trade interests.