French president expresses 'European solidarity' with Spain after US threats over Madrid’s stance on Iran (www.aa.com.tr)
from floofloof@lemmy.ca to world@lemmy.world on 04 Mar 2026 17:51
https://lemmy.ca/post/61306984

cross-posted from: piefed.social/…/french-president-expresses-europe…

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday voiced solidarity with Spain following recent threats by US President Donald Trump over Madrid’s stance on Iran.

Macron has just spoken with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez “to express France’s European solidarity in response to the recent threats of economic coercion that Spain was targeted with yesterday," the French Presidency told broadcaster BFMTV.

European Council President Antonio Costa also expressed the EU’s solidarity with Madrid and noted that the bloc “will always ensure that the interests of its Member States are fully protected.”

#world

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nkat2112@sh.itjust.works on 04 Mar 2026 17:54 next collapse

Nice! Merci!

HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works on 04 Mar 2026 18:01 collapse

How about he shows Europe’s solidarity by not joining an illegal, brutal, vicious war waged by two blood thirsty criminals?

cygnus@lemmy.ca on 04 Mar 2026 18:05 next collapse

The carrier is there strictly in a defensive posture. no? I’m not aware of France being involved in any attacks on Iran.

HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works on 04 Mar 2026 18:29 next collapse

Macron explicitly said that France was involved because of defense treaties with petromonarchies. That means that French weapons and soldiers will be involved in disabling Iranian war capability, i.e. bombing them.

i078@europe.pub on 04 Mar 2026 18:40 next collapse

Bombing them and taking out offensive weapons is not the same thing. 

ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world on 04 Mar 2026 20:53 collapse

It is, when Iran is using these weapons to push American allies in the region to try and convince the Burgers to stop murdering them, and to take out military installations that help the Burgers kill.

cygnus@lemmy.ca on 04 Mar 2026 21:51 collapse

If so, that’s an idiotic strategy. It would be like Palestinians suicide-bombing EU countries to make them stop Israel’s war.

ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world on 04 Mar 2026 23:12 collapse

Not really, closer to suicide-bombing Gulf countries. Neither the EU or America have any skin in the game (for them it’s just another far away military fun and profitable venture), they’re not neighbours of Iran, whilst the Gulf countries are.

cygnus@lemmy.ca on 05 Mar 2026 13:57 collapse

OK then, but that’s still idiotic.

cygnus@lemmy.ca on 04 Mar 2026 19:34 collapse

Are you suggesting they simply ignore the defence treaties they signed with allies? Who do you think they are, Russia?

HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works on 04 Mar 2026 21:05 collapse

What business do the French have in the Middle Esast that their head of state signs defense treaties with petromonarchies? What’s in there for French people? What’s in there for French values?

cygnus@lemmy.ca on 04 Mar 2026 21:08 collapse

I think mostly selling Rafales, but I’m not French so I can’t speak to their motivations when choosing who to vote for.

JayTreeman@fedia.io on 04 Mar 2026 18:29 next collapse

Iran has been hitting military targets and other infrastructure that's supporting military targets. What exactly would they be defending? France is out of range.

Tja@programming.dev on 04 Mar 2026 18:49 next collapse

Are embassies military targets or other infrastructure supporting military targets? How about gas terminals?

Are hospitals supporting military targets because they heal soldiers? Are schools military targets because kids can become soldiers?

frongt@lemmy.zip on 04 Mar 2026 20:43 next collapse

Gas terminals can be. The others, no.

Embassies are often safehouses for intelligence and espionage, but that doesn’t justify bombing them.

JayTreeman@fedia.io on 04 Mar 2026 21:59 collapse

Embassies, yes. Check out what the US embassy was doing in Tehran during the 70s.
Gas terminals, yes. But also Iran has been claiming the strike in SA wasn't them.
Hospitals, no. I haven't seen anything about Iran striking hospitals. US and Israel regularly strike hospitals.
Schools, no. Once again, Iran isn't, but you can't say the same about the agressors

Tja@programming.dev on 04 Mar 2026 22:20 collapse

So anything that Iran hits is automatically a valid target… How come it doesn’t work the other way?

JayTreeman@fedia.io on 05 Mar 2026 01:31 collapse

Are hospitals and school girls valid targets?
One side is acting defensively. If you've been following this conflict for a while, you'd know that Iran has done as much as possible to avoid this conflict. Their back is against the wall and they're swinging.

Tja@programming.dev on 05 Mar 2026 03:01 collapse

Absolutely not valid targets, bordering on war crimes.

Which in no way justifies attacking civilians on the other side. Hotels, airports, embassies…

JayTreeman@fedia.io on 05 Mar 2026 11:30 collapse

Embassies often hold intelligence offices. They're absolutely a valid target. Airports are infrastructure that supports military operations. (Flying in food and other supplies) Hotels that have been hit were where military personnel were staying. (When other countries do this it's called 'using human shields')

Tja@programming.dev on 05 Mar 2026 12:58 collapse

Bullshit excuse. You can use the same reasoning to excuse Israel actuons: hospitals support military operations, schools educate future soldiers, weddings are attended by potential soldiers.

JayTreeman@fedia.io on 05 Mar 2026 14:09 collapse

Ben Gurion airport LITERALLY has an Airforce Base attached to it.
The US LITERALLY evacuated their bases and had personnel staying in local hotels.
Arguing against this is like saying the Iranian frigate in Indonesia wasn't a valid target because it wasn't in the theater of war

Tja@programming.dev on 05 Mar 2026 14:51 collapse

What about Dubai Airport?

cygnus@lemmy.ca on 04 Mar 2026 19:33 collapse

What exactly would they be defending? France is out of range.

I see the geopolitics understanders have logged on…

unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de on 04 Mar 2026 22:49 collapse

There is no such thing as a “defensive” aircraft carrier. Also they said they will strike Iranian targets to disable their missile capabilities.

Grainne@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 04 Mar 2026 19:39 collapse

Macron wants to look tough for votes.

[deleted] on 04 Mar 2026 20:54 collapse
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TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world on 04 Mar 2026 20:59 collapse

Macron can’t run for the next presidential election.

ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world on 04 Mar 2026 21:01 collapse

Thanks for correcting my ignorance.