Iran’s Araghchi Hits Back at Macron Over Support for US Policy on Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has criticised French President Emmanuel Macron over his support for US policy toward Iran, arguing that Macron cannot distance himself from the consequences of a conflict he helped enable as France faces widespread protests.

In a post on X on Monday, Araghchi said Macron had “made his bed” by assuring US President Donald Trump that he welcomed atrocities against Iranians. He added that it was too late to blame the consequences of the war on others after helping bring it about.

Araghchi also referred to cost-of-living protests in France, saying demonstrators were demanding sweeping changes, including greater freedom of assembly. He urged Macron to listen to the French public and consider the country’s future.

The Iranian foreign minister shared a screenshot of a message Macron had sent Trump and which the US president published in January. In the message, Macron wrote: “We are totally in line on Syria. We can do great things on Iran.” Araghchi cited the exchange as evidence of France’s alignment with Washington on Iran policy.

France has been experiencing a wave of student-led demonstrations that reportedly began on September 17 at Antoine de Saint-Exupéry High School in Créteil. The protests have since expanded to include broader concerns about education, inequality and the government’s response.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Sunday that more than 2,000 protesters had been arrested. More than 600 police officers, gendarmes and firefighters were also reported injured.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, Macron linked unrest in France to rising living costs and fuel prices associated with the US-Israeli war on Iran. He maintained that France had not participated in the war but was experiencing its consequences.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also criticised Macron, accusing him of applying inconsistent standards to protests. Baghaei contrasted Macron’s January support for peaceful assembly in Iran with his handling of demonstrations in France, warning that those behind what he called “sinister alliances” would eventually face the consequences.

The exchanges have added a diplomatic dimension to France’s domestic unrest, with Tehran using Macron’s remarks on Iran and his response to French protests to challenge the French government’s position.