"I express the hope that the fighting will cease and that a ceasefire can be agreed," Macron said after a European Union summit in Brussels.
I havent heard anyone express a willingness to get involved in this conflict, he added."I dont think an escalation would resolve the international situation."
France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands issued ajoint statementon Thursday;
"We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces," it said.
"We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict. We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.
"We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning."
Italy, Germany and France made clear later that they were not talking about any immediate military help, but rather a potential multilateral initiative after a ceasefire.
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On Thusday,Irancontinued its attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf, with drones striking a Saudi refinery and two others in Kuwait, following major damage caused to the worlds largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Qatar, in response to Israeli strikes on the South Pars gas field.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuconfirmed on Thursday night that his country would suspend any further attacks on Irans energy infrastructure,following a request from the American president Donald Trump.
The aftermath of the strike left Trump and Netanyahu facing questions on whether they are on the same page over how to fight the war that began on 28 February with Israeli and American air force strikes on the Iranian capital Tehran.
During a meeting in the Oval Office with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trumptold reporters that he neither agreed with nor approved of Israels attack on the South Pars field.
I told him: 'Dont do that, Trump said of Netanyahus decision to strike. We get along great. Its coordinated, but on occasion hell do something. And if I dont like it ... and so were not doing that anymore.
Netanyahu also sought to downplay any space between himself and Trump.
Its been said that for 40 years Ive been saying that Iran is a danger to Israel and a danger to the world. That is true, Netanyahu said at a news conference in Jerusalem. You know who else said that? President Trump.
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With no let-up of the conflict in sight,Macron reiterated that France would not participate in any mission to forcibly open the Strait of Hormuz through which20 percent of the worlds oil passes.
Frances position remains defensive, he added. "France aims to protect our citizens and our interests to support our regional allies, to protect our citizens and our interests, to support our regional allies, to preserve our freedom of navigation and maritime sovereignty and to do everything possible to help de-escalation.
"However, we will not participate in any forced opening of the strait in the context of ongoing war operations and bombings.
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Macron said that the conflict in the Middle East would not divert attention from Russia's war in Ukraine. "We continue to work on robust security guarantees with the coalition of volunteers and to provide financial and military support that meets Ukraine's needs."
He stressed the need to see the 90 billion loan, intended to allow Ukraine to continue its fight against the Russian invasion, implemeted without delay.
The leaders of the 27-nation bloc had approved the loan in principle in December, but the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbn, who maintains good relations with Moscow, blocked its formal adoption last month, using the closure of the Druzhba pipeline - which supplies his country with Russian oil via Ukraine - as a pretext.
"While energy security concerns in the EU must be taken into account, they do not undermine our support and must not be instrumentalised, Macron added.
Originally published on RFI
