Europe rallies around Cyprus during Iran war as Macron visits to show support for island

PAPHOS, Cyprus (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday pledged to defend Cyprus, days after dispatching a warship to the east Mediterranean island nation, where a Shahed drone struck a British air base on its southern coast last week during the Iran war.

“When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked,” Macron said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Cyprus’ main air base near the southwestern town of Paphos. “We are bound to one another by strategic partnerships.”

The French president paid a visit to Cyprus to demonstrate his “full solidarity” with Cyprus, which sustained the first drone attack of the Iran war on European territory.

Macron had ordered the French frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus, a fellow European Union member, to bolster its anti-drone and anti-missiles defenses. The French president also sent last week ground-based anti-drone and anti-missile defenses to the island.

Greece already dispatched four F-16 fighter planes to the Paphos air base and its two state-of-the-art frigates Kimon and Psara are already patrolling offshore Cyprus, tasked with intercepting any missiles or drones.

In a show of strength, Macron said he would also deploy a total of eight warships, two helicopter carriers and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East region, calling the move “unprecedented.” He is due to go aboard the De Gaulle, which is currently sailing “very near” Cyprus.

Macron pointed to a French-led initiative currently in the works that will involve European and non-European nations helping to escort oil and gas tankers with the aim of gradually reopening the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible after the most intense phase of the conflict is over.”

Christodoulides said the leaders’ presence in Cyprus underscores how the EU remains “united and determined” to ensure the security of its member states.

“Our countries have the common believe that the European Union must engage more actively, more strategically and more coherently with the wider region as part of a comprehensive approach,” Christodoulides said.

Mitsotakis echoed the Cypriot president, saying that “now is the time to make clear that every inch of European territory is inviolable” but stressed that any action is purely defensive in posture.

“Our sole and exclusive aim it to strengthen the defense of a European Union member state against any threat,” said Mitsotakis. “And we’re not going to accept any part of European territory, like Cyprus, to be exposed to the slightest danger.”

Macron has been deeply involved in diplomatic talks in recent days to try to avoid further escalation in the Middle East. On Sunday, he spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to stop strikes.

Last week, Macron ordered the De Gaulle to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean to help protect allied assets, citing the drone strike on Cyprus. Cyprus and France signed a new strategic partnership in December.

Despite the military buildup, the three leaders have urged against any expansion of the conflict. Christodoulides has repeatedly underscored that Cyprus won’t take part in any military operation and remains focused on its regional humanitarian role that includes a maritime corridor sending aid to Gaza via the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The Shahed drone caused minor damage to a hangar at the RAF Akrotiri air base minutes after midnight on March 2. No one was injured. Another two drones were intercepted by British Typhoon and F-35 warplanes that were scrambled from the air base shortly after midday that day.

Cyprus officials confirmed last week that the Shahed originated from Lebanon and believe that it was launched by the Hezbollah militant group, Iran’s proxy in the country. Hezbollah’s arsenal notably includes exploding drones, similar to the ones used by Iran.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji on Sunday condemned the drone attack.

“I called on our Cypriot friends not to confuse the Lebanese state with those acting outside its authority and legal framework,” said Rajji, a staunch opponent of Hezbollah.

The Lebanese government has ordered its security agencies to crack down on non-state groups carrying out attacks.

Macron said France is expending diplomatic capital to ensure a return to calm in the country and to allow for the Lebanese armed forces to assert themselves as Israel continues to pound Hezbollah positions.

“Our goal is simple, Hezbollah must cease all strikes from Lebanese territory, because it is putting all Lebanese people in danger,” Macron said, while urging Israel to cease its strikes in Lebanon.

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Menelaos Hadjicostis reported from Nicosia, Cyprus. Kareem Chehayeb contributed to this report from Beirut.