DOHA, October 22 (Aalimi Nation) – Qatar and France have called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened to navigation "without constraints or fees" and urged full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire, in a joint statement issued after French President Emmanuel Macron met Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Wednesday.
Macron was in Qatar on October 20 and 21 as part of a Gulf tour that also took in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The statement said the two leaders discussed de-escalation, freedom of navigation, energy security and a lasting peace reached through diplomacy.
Iran and the Strait of Hormuz
The two sides condemned Iranian military attacks on regional countries, calling them "a serious breach of international law". They backed diplomatic efforts to address Iran's threats, including verification that its nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful. Macron praised Qatar's mediation role and expressed France's "absolute solidarity" with Doha.
Speaking in Lusail, Macron said: "There were proposals to open the Strait of Hormuz, and this proposal remains available. We discussed it today." He added that Iran is expected to respond within days to mediation led by Qatar and Pakistan, and that France is in contact with both Washington and Tehran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Iran is prepared to give diplomacy another chance. Qatari mediator Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi had said on Tuesday that diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and reopen the strait were continuing.
Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon
The statement urged Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza "in accordance with the agreed arrangements" and called for humanitarian aid to reach civilians without conditions or restrictions. It backed UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and the Gaza plan put forward by US President Donald Trump, and supported a two-state solution and Palestinian elections. Both countries opposed any annexation of the West Bank.
On Lebanon, the two governments backed full implementation of the Trilateral Framework Agreement, which aims to restore state sovereignty over all Lebanese territory, disarm Hezbollah and secure a complete Israeli withdrawal. They warned that the coming end of the UN peacekeeping mission's mandate "must not create a security vacuum". Macron said France is working with Italy and other partners to support the mission, whose mandate expires at the end of December.
Defence and economic ties
The statement said Qatar and France agreed to expand defence, security and economic cooperation. A letter of intent was signed to select KNDS France and John Cockerill Defense to modernise Qatar's Amiri Land Forces, with remaining negotiations expected to conclude soon. The sides also pledged to prioritise direct investment in energy, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and other sectors.
Attention now turns to whether Iran responds to the mediation proposal in the coming days, and to whether talks can produce a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Macron also said he had ruled out a state of emergency in France after violence and looting at protests last Saturday, with further meetings planned on Thursday.
