The United States ignores Europe's allies' calls for a ceasefire, and the rift between both sides continues to deepen.

Reprinted from: Xinhua News Agency

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 25 — Recently, French and German officials accused the United States of launching military strikes against Iran without informing allies beforehand, and that the spillover of the conflict has caused significant economic losses for the latter, leading to deep cracks in transatlantic relations. The U.S. has ignored allies’ concerns about “stopping the war” and is still planning to deploy more troops to the Middle East.

Allies are anxious and uneasy

On March 24, French Chief of Staff Fabien Mandon criticized at a security and defense forum in Paris that the United States, as an ally, has become “increasingly unreliable.” According to Mandon, although the U.S. remains a French ally, it has become more unpredictable, “even too lazy to notify us before striking Iran,” and the U.S. actions have affected France’s security and interests.

On the same day, French President Macron stated on social media that he had spoken with Iranian President Pahlevi Ziyan, calling for Iran to cease its attacks on relevant Middle Eastern countries; to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz; and to actively engage in negotiations to de-escalate the situation.

On March 9, President Macron arrived at Paphos Air Base in southwestern Cyprus. Xinhua News Agency photo (by George Christoforou)

At a national defense and security meeting on the 17th, Macron said that since France is not a party to the conflict, it would not participate in any actions aimed at “opening” the Strait of Hormuz under current circumstances. According to a Saudi Arabian news website, this statement was seen as a “slap in the face” to U.S. President Trump’s remarks the day before. Trump hinted at a day earlier during an event at the White House that France might join the U.S.-proposed escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz. The report pointed out that since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, shipping risks through the Strait of Hormuz have surged, global oil prices have fluctuated sharply, and many European countries are striving to protect their interests.

Also on the 24th, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katrin Göring-Eckardt, warned at an energy industry conference in Texas that Germany’s “fragile economic recovery” is threatened by spillover effects from Middle Eastern conflicts, and that Germany will face fuel shortages within weeks. Göring-Eckardt said that if the conflict prolongs, Germany could face fuel shortages in April or May.

Germany’s economy has recently shown signs of recovery, but the current sharp rise in international energy prices has increased production costs for energy-intensive industries such as mechanical manufacturing and chemicals, affecting investment trends, production plans, and profit margins. According to data from the German Institute for Economic Research, if Brent crude oil futures in London rise to $150 per barrel, Germany could lose over 80 billion euros over two years.

On the 24th, German President Steinmeier said at a commemorative event at the German Foreign Office that since Trump began his second term, the cracks in transatlantic relations have deepened. He emphasized that U.S.-Israel military strikes on Iran are undoubtedly violations of international law and a fatal political mistake.

On March 21, people in London participated in a rally protesting U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran. Photo by Xinhua reporter Li Ying

The U.S. may increase troop deployment

While European allies are anxious and uneasy, the U.S. continues to consider further troop deployment to the Middle East. Multiple U.S. media outlets, including The New York Times, on March 24 cited U.S. Defense Department officials reporting that the Pentagon has dispatched about 2,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East to prepare for more military options while Trump engages in diplomatic efforts with Iran. Reports indicate that recently, a Marine expeditionary force, including several warships and thousands of Marines, has departed from ports in California, expected to arrive in the Middle East in at least three weeks.

The report states that the Marine training includes supporting U.S. consular operations, evacuating civilians, and conducting rescue missions; the 82nd Airborne’s training involves parachuting into “hostile or contested areas” to seize key regions and airports.

Regarding the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, the Trump administration has recently sent signals of “combining strikes with negotiations.” While threatening to attack Iran’s “various power plants” and demanding Iran open the Strait of Hormuz, Trump also claimed to have had “strong” talks with Iran and reached some agreement points. Iran’s armed forces issued a statement responding that if the U.S. proceeds with threats to attack Iran’s power plants, Iran will immediately take four “punitive” measures, including a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, Iran’s Islamic Parliament Speaker, Ali Kalibaf, denied any negotiations with the U.S. on social media on the 23rd, stating that spreading false news is aimed at “manipulating financial and oil markets” to help the U.S. and Israel escape their “deep quagmire.”

A think tank, the Center for a New American Security, analyzed that the U.S. aims to delay Iran’s actions by releasing these complex signals, buying time for U.S. Marine arrival in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is also “actively seeking” ways to extricate itself from the war. (Wang Yijun)