Middle East Crisis Reactions

Macron tired of Trump: “There is too much talk”

French President Emmanuel Macron is putting his foot down and criticizing Donald Trump’s various and sometimes contradictory statements about the Iran war, writes The Guardian.

– There is too much talk, and it is from all sides, he says of the American president’s strategy.

Recently, Trump has repeatedly attacked allies and demanded more help in the Middle East. Macron accuses the president of being frivolous and finds it strange that he speaks out every day.

– If you want to be serious, you can’t go around saying the opposite of what you said yesterday every day.

Earlier this week, Trump mocked the French president during a private lunch. Trump imitated a French dialect and said, among other things, that Macron’s wife “treats him very badly,” writes AFP.

When asked about the mockery, Macron chose not to comment.

Europe ready for sanctions – but no military help

European leaders are willing to take steps to get Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and secure shipping – but not until the fighting stops. However, they do not intend to heed Trump's increasingly angry demands for military support, reports Politico.

On Thursday, a 90-minute conversation was held under the leadership of the UK. Representatives of the EU and 41 countries participated, including Sweden, Germany, France, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Canada.

These have now formed a coalition with the goal of using "the full range of our diplomatic and economic tools" to open the strait, writes Euronews.

The countries opened, among other things, to apply collective pressure through the UN, impose sanctions and share intelligence with the shipping industry for safer passage through the strait.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also opened for mine clearance, but only if there is a ceasefire.

Mediator: Ceasefire talks have reached a stalemate

The ongoing ceasefire talks between the US and Iran have reached a stalemate, a mediator told the Wall Street Journal.

Iran has told the mediators that the delegation is not willing to meet with the US envoys in Islamabad in the coming days, as the demands from the US are unacceptable, according to the mediators.

Iran has also reportedly rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, according to an anonymous source to the semi-state news agency Fars.

The negotiations are being led by Pakistan, and several other nations in the Middle East are participating. Iran announced several demands early on, including that the US pay war reparations, withdraw from military bases in the area, and guarantee that it will not attack again.

Putin and Erdogan in talks – urge ceasefire in Iran

Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone on Friday, Reuters reports.

The conversation reportedly focused on the situation in the Middle East.

“The leaders noted their shared position that an immediate ceasefire is needed,” the Kremlin wrote in a statement.

Furthermore, the Kremlin, which is allied with Iran, wrote that the war would lead to “serious negative consequences” for energy and trade both in the region and around the world.