France withdraws carrier Charles de Gaulle as US-Iran tensions ease

Paris, July 4 (IANS) The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is returning to its home port of Toulon from the Middle East, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on social media platform X.

The carrier had been deployed to the region in preparation for a French and British-led multinational maritime security mission in the Strait of Hormuz, Xinhua news agency reported.

Macron said in his X post that a recent memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran represents “significant progress” for regional stability, prompting France to adjust its presence in the Middle East.

However, French mine-clearance assets and their escort assets will remain in place, ready to conduct operations with partners, Macron added.

The Charles de Gaulle is currently in the Mediterranean Sea, according to French media reports citing the president’s office.

France and Britain announced in mid-April that they would lead a defensive, multinational escort mission in the Strait of Hormuz. France deployed the carrier to the Middle East in May to prepare for the official launch of the operation once hostilities ceased.

The United States and Iran reached an agreement on the memorandum of understanding on June 14. The following day, Macron said the Charles de Gaulle could arrive in the Strait of Hormuz within two to three days in the framework of the escort mission if the situation permitted.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran had agreed to “just about everything we need” in negotiations over its nuclear programme, while insisting that Tehran would never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Trump said his administration remained focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and expressed confidence that ongoing negotiations were moving in Washington’s favour.

“We’re negotiating, and we’ll see whether or not. I think they’ve agreed to just about everything we need,” Trump said.

He described the US objective as “the denuking of Iran” rather than a conventional military campaign.

“This is the denuking of Iran. You can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

Asked whether he was seeking regime change in Tehran, Trump said that was not his goal.

“I’m not looking for regime change. I’m looking for something very simple. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump said US military operations had significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities since he returned to office.

–IANS

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