France has deployed the Charles de Gaulle, its only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, to the Middle East as part of a joint effort with the United Kingdom and Europe to ensure the safe passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
The information was confirmed on Wednesday (6) by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. In a statement, it said that the Charles de Gaulle, along with its carrier strike group escort, had already crossed the Suez Canal and was heading toward the Red Sea.
The French aircraft carrier is expected to ensure safe journeys through the Strait of Hormuz once a peace agreement between the United States and Iran is secured, and Tehran agrees to reopen the waterway, which has remained closed since the start of the war.
The aircraft carrier is sailing with eight warships and two amphibious assault ships, and its deployment to the Red Sea allows its assets to remain within range of the Strait of Hormuz without entering contested waters.
“Geographically, it is closer to Hormuz and will therefore allow us to react more quickly once the conditions are met,” said Colonel Guillaume Vernet, spokesman for the Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, referring to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
Vernet warned that attempts to cross the strait would likely fail without Iran’s cooperation. “Today, the Strait of Hormuz is blocked because of the threat, and insurance premiums are very high. Not a single ship will risk its journey or go there,” he added.
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