French President Emmanuel Macron held telephone talks on Sunday (8 March 2026) with both U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. As the first Western leader to speak directly with Pezeshkian since the outbreak of hostilities in the region, Macron emphasized urgent diplomatic priorities.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Macron stated he had underscored ‘the need for Iran to immediately halt its attacks against countries in the region.’ He added that ‘Iran must also guarantee freedom of navigation by ending the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz.’
Macron reiterated France’s firm stance that a diplomatic solution remains essential to ending the conflict. No further details have been released regarding his conversation with Trump.
The calls come ahead of Macron’s visit to Cyprus on Monday (9 March 2026), where he is expected to focus on strengthening security cooperation around the EU member state and across the eastern Mediterranean.