Sudani tells Macron world must act to ‘stop the war and prevent further escalation’

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani received a phone call Friday from French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with Sudani pressing for intensified international efforts to halt military operations.

Sudani said the international community, including “its institutions, organizations and major powers,” must work to “stop the war and prevent further escalation,” according to a statement from his office. He also rejected “the targeting and displacement taking place in Lebanon” due to Israeli strikes and ground incursions, stressing the need to preserve regional stability.

Macron called for prioritizing “dialogue and diplomacy,” while also deploying the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean and French forces to the UAE since the war began. Macron has said France “cannot approve” of the U.S.-Israeli strikes as carried out outside international law, while calling for the conflict to end as quickly as possible.

The conflict began Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran targeting nuclear facilities, missile installations and senior leadership. Iran has responded with sustained waves of ballistic missiles and drones across the Middle East. Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have been struck from multiple directions, with more than 100 missiles and drones targeting Erbil alone, hitting Iranian Kurdish opposition bases, residential neighborhoods and energy infrastructure including the Sarsang oil field in Duhok.