Trump says ‘freedom’ drives US strikes on Iran; Macron vows to protect allies
Shafaq News- Washington/ Paris
Freedom for the Iranian people is the central objective of a “major military operation” inside Iran, US President Donald Trump told The Washington Post on Saturday, as American forces carried out coordinated strikes with Israel on sites across the country.
“All I want is freedom for the people,” he said, adding, “I want a safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have.”
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron warned, in a statement on X, that the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran carries “grave consequences for international peace and security,” urging an immediate halt to the escalation.
The outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran carries grave consequences for international peace and security. At this decisive moment, every measure is being taken to ensure the security of our national territory, our citizens,…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 28, 2026
While calling for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Macron said France is taking steps to safeguard its national territory, citizens, and interests in the Middle East, and stands ready to deploy resources to protect “its closest partners” if requested. He called on the Iranian leadership to engage “in good faith” negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic programs and what he described as regional destabilization activities, adding that the Iranian people “must be able to freely build their future.”
The remarks came after coordinated US and Israeli strikes targeted sites inside Iran, which Washington described as action against “imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” Tehran, according to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), responded with missile and drone strikes on Israel and US military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, with media outlets also reporting attacks on bases in Saudi Arabia and Iraqi Kurdistan.
Before today’s strikes, a new round of US-Iran nuclear talks had been scheduled for Monday in Vienna under Omani mediation. However, Trump said he was “not happy with the negotiation” process and reaffirmed his refusal to allow Iran to enrich uranium at any level, while Tehran has consistently maintained that its enrichment program is for civilian purposes. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi noted that the US and Israeli strikes on Iran have disrupted nuclear talks, warning Washington against being “sucked in further” into the conflict.
