France intends to participate in Israel’s “protection and defense companies” in the event of an attack by Iran, President Emmanuel Macron announced tonight as Israeli strikes continue on Iranian targets.

At the press conference he gave, Macron at the same time excluded his country to participate in operations against Iran. “This is not our role,” he said, also noting that France’s support for Israel is not “unconditionally and without limits”.

Macron urged French citizens not to visit the area.

The French president said that Iran is responsible for the destabilization of the Middle East and because it continues an unjustified nuclear program, but at the same time demanded restraint. He regretted that Tehran did not seize Washington’s opportunity to find a diplomatic solution while at the same time hoping that talks between Iran and the US would continue.

France’s information on the Iranian nuclear program was very worrying, he continued, noting that he had reached a “crucial point” after Tehran had gathered “quantity of uranium more than 40 times from the permitted”, did not keep its promises of the international community. Nevertheless, Paris would not constitute an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, as it considers that there is still a “diplomatic outlet” to resolve the issue.

Due to the situation in the Middle East, Macron announced that the United Nations conference promoting the solution of the two states, an Israeli and a Palestinian, is postponed. This conference, scheduled for June 17-20, would be chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. The French president explained that for technical reasons, leaders of the Middle East and the Palestinian Authority leadership could not travel to New York to attend the conference in person, which would be planned “as soon as possible”.

Macron also warned that “we should prepare for the financial consequences”, since it is impossible to predict the duration and extent of businesses and retaliation. “The global economy may be affected, whether it is trade routes and threats to the Strait of Ormuz, or world oil production,” he said.