In a controversial televised address, French President Emmanuel Macron has pointed to the U.S.-led conflict against Iran as a contributing factor to the escalating riots and looting plaguing France, citing concerns over rising fuel and living costs exacerbated by the war. Macron stated, “demonstrators expressed concern about the cost of living and the price of fuel. Both are driven by the conflict launched in the Persian Gulf, a conflict in which France has taken no part but whose consequences we are suffering,” adding that he is taking international initiatives to stabilize energy markets. This assertion has drawn sharp criticism, with Iran expert Lisa Daftari arguing that fuel prices are high due to Iran’s own actions, such as closing the Strait of Hormuz, and that the widespread destruction points to organized lawlessness rather than a protest over diesel prices, a view echoed by government officials who blame ultra-left groups. Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, lamenting France’s state and reiterating his past advice to secure borders. Meanwhile, figures like JD Vance and Barak Seener from the Henry Jackson Society have linked the unrest to France’s immigration policies and what they term a “Red-Green alliance” of radical left and Muslim organizations, suggesting Macron is ignoring deeper domestic issues and geopolitical realities by blaming external conflicts.
Adapted from: Latest World News on Fox News
