France “Firmly” Warns Iran Against Escalating Gaza Conflict

November 17, 2023

1 min read

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna met with her Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in Geneva on November 16, amid concerns the Gaza war could expand into other parts of the Middle East

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has “firmly” warned her Iranian counterpart against any extension of the conflict between Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, France’s Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

Colonna met with Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Geneva on November 16, amid concerns the war between Israel and Tehran-backed Hamas in Gaza could expand into other parts of the Middle East.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq have been threatening a regional conflict since the start of the war on October 7.

In a post on the social media platform X, Amir-Abdollahian described his meeting with Colonna as “candid.”

The discussion touched upon “Palestinian developments, bilateral and consular matters, as well as the future of relations” between Iran and France, he wrote.

He said he also warned the French minister “about the dire consequences of [Israel’s] ongoing war crimes in Gaza.”

According to the French statement, Colonna “recalled the need for everyone to condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel and its population.”

“There could be no ambiguity on this point. The acts of terror perpetrated against civilians were unjustifiable and unacceptable,” it says.

The French minister “firmly warned her counterpart against any escalation or extension of the conflict, particularly to Lebanon,” where the Islamic Republic is providing crucial support to the Hezbollah group, the statement continues. “The Islamic Republic of Iran had a heavy responsibility in this regard.”

Colonna also called for the immediate release of four French nationals still being held “arbitrarily” in Iran, adding that their situation is “extremely worrying.”

Activists and Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of taking dual and foreign nationals hostage for the sole purpose of using them in prisoner swaps or as a bargaining chip in international negotiations.