Japan Seeks French Support as Macron Starts Asia Visit Amid Iran Conflict

Middle Eastern outlets focus on Macron’s comments about keeping the Strait of Hormuz open as the Iran war continues. They stress that France and Japan both rely heavily on oil and gas that pass through Hormuz, so any disruption would hurt their economies. They present the rare-earths deal as one part of a broader effort by these countries to shield themselves from supply shocks linked to conflict in the region.

• •French leaders are publicly reaffirming the need to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
• •Japan and France fear that fighting involving Iran could threaten tankers carrying their energy supplies.
• •The Iran war is already affecting trade flows and insurance costs for ships using Middle Eastern routes.
• •The rare-earths and critical minerals agreements are meant to diversify away from vulnerable supply lines tied to the region.
• •Macron’s talks in Japan are dominated by the Middle East war and its economic fallout rather than only bilateral trade issues.