ERBIL () - French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that France is working on a project to extend an oil pipeline from Iraq through Jordan to transport Iraqi crude toward European markets, as Paris intensifies efforts to secure alternative energy sources outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Macron said France was seeking to reduce its reliance on the strategic waterway for energy supplies.
He also said he did not rule out the possibility of an agreement between the United States and Iran aimed at reducing current tensions.
Macron said the escalation of tensions in the Middle East had led to a notable increase in global energy prices.
He stressed that France had neither trained for nor intervened in the escalation of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, but had contributed to protecting vessels. France is now calling for peaceful solutions that would ensure the security of navigation through the strait, he said.
Turning to European security, Macron warned of a significant increase in Russian attacks and threats directed at European countries.
He reiterated France’s continued support for Ukraine, describing that position as a unified and decisive model for all European countries.
Macron said France is pursuing alternative energy routes while calling for peaceful solutions to safeguard navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, with the proposed Iraq-Jordan pipeline intended to help connect Iraqi oil to European markets.
