French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Friday during a visit to Israel that Iran must make major concessions as part of any long-term political solution after the Middle East war. He also repeated a call for Israel and Lebanon to hold direct talks over ground operations targeting Hezbollah.
"Whatever the outcome of the ongoing military operations, it must be complemented by a political solution that produces lasting results," Barrot told journalists in Tel Aviv. "In this regard, the Iranian regime must be prepared to make major concessions – a radical change of stance."
Barrot also repeated a European call for a moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure after an Israeli bombardment of Iran’s key gasfield pushed up energy prices.
It was the first trip to Israel for France's top diplomat since France recognised the State of Palestine last year, a move that angered the Israeli government.
France, UN push for direct talks to end hostilies between Israel and Lebanon
Calls for direct talks
As part of his Middle East tour, Barrot visited Beirut on Thursday, where he expressed France’s "reservations" about Israel’s ground operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
He called on Israel to seize an "historic opportunity" and hold direct talks with Lebanese authorities after President Emmanuel Macron agreed to host negotiations.
"The Lebanese government has signalled its unprecedented openness to direct talks at the highest level with Israel," Barrot said.
Lebanon was pulled into the regional war on 2 March when Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israel in response to the killing of its ally Iran’s supreme leader in Israeli-US attacks.
Israel responded with heavy airstrikes across Lebanon and ground incursions in the border area, which have left more than 1,000 people dead.
On the Israeli side, two soldiers were killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, according to the military.
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Hezbollah tensions
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he had discussed with Barrot the "scope of attacks on Israel from Lebanese territory".
"Unfortunately, the Lebanese government and its army are not taking any meaningful action against Hezbollah, neither militarily nor in other aspects," Saar wrote on social media platform X.
He also called on the European Union to list Hezbollah "in its entirety as a terrorist organisation, not only its military wing, as several European countries already did".
During his meeting with Barrot on Thursday, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun stressed "the necessity of a ceasefire, and to provide the necessary guarantees for its success by the parties concerned", according to a statement.
Aoun has proposed a four-point initiative calling for "a full truce" with Israel, increased support for the Lebanese army to "disarm Hezbollah" and "direct negotiations" with Israel.
"The negotiating initiative... is still on the table, but the continued military escalation is hindering its launch," Aoun told Barrot.
According to the French foreign ministry, Barrot’s visit showed "solidarity with the Lebanese people, who have been dragged into a war they did not choose".
Barrot said regional stability also depends on the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which halted two years of war in October.
The plan includes the disarmament of Hamas, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces and the deployment of an international stabilisation force, with a transitional Palestinian technocratic committee overseeing daily governance.
(with newswires)
