Iran warns of swift response to British, French warships in Hormuz
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Iran has issued a warning over the planned deployment of European naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz, cautioning that any military presence supporting US actions in the region would face a swift response. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said in a post on X that the arrival of French or British warships — or vessels from any other country backing what Tehran described as unlawful US actions — would trigger an immediate and decisive reaction from Iran. The statement came after the French Ministry of Armed Forces announced last week that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and accompanying naval vessels were being dispatched to the region. Meanwhile, Britain has also deployed the air-defence destroyer HMS Dragon toward the strategically important waterway. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have described the mission as a defensive effort aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. Iran submits reply to US peace proposal through Pakistan