France's Macron warns Iran against imposing Hormuz tolls
Iran's Fars news agency reported earlier that Tehran added a clause on imposing maritime service fees to the framework deal with the United States on ending the Middle East war, shortly before its announcement.
"We defend international law and we will do everything in our power to ensure there is no toll," Macron told TF1 television ahead of the G7 summit in France, set to be attended by US President Donald Trump.
The details of the agreement have not been disclosed publicly. Macron said the accord had already been signed "electronically" and additional annexes would be "finalised" on Friday.
"I don't want to enter into the details," he said.
Macron said a joint France-UK mission to ensure the Strait opens was prepared to deploy "very quickly", with the French flagship aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle ready to be in the zone "on a timescale of two to three days".
"We do every thing so that this accord is a reality and that Hormuz can reopen," Macron said. European countries are impatiently awaiting the reopening of the Strait to bring down the price of energy and other goods.
French-UK mission 'ready' to aid Hormuz reopening, says Macron
Patience, prudence
Macron denied that the deal was a victory for Tehran, saying: "I would be patient and prudent."
"As you know, we didn't participate in that offensive," he said, referring to the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.
"So our objective now is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. And indeed, there shouldn't be any tolls or anything that would enrich those in power," he said.
As for the United States, Vice President JD Vance said Monday that the US expects Iran will not charge tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but that the issue would be discussed as part of the new peace deal.
Asked on CNBC if there was an understanding with Iran that the crucial waterway would reopen toll-free for just an initial period of 60 days or longer term, Vance said: "Our expectation is that the strait is going to be opened in a toll-free way for the long term, and that's the sort of thing that we're going to figure out in these technical negotiations."
The maritime passages with a chokehold on the global economy
Macron also said that Iran's stocks of enriched uranium need to be neutralised and placed under the supervision of the UN atomic watchdog.
"We will ensure that the enriched uranium capabilities that remain are properly neutralised," Macron said.
The sensitive stocks should be "either taken out, or diluted" and then looked after by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Macron said.
(with AFP)