In a statement, Mushikiwabo deplored the loss of human lives and warned of the severe consequences for civilian populations caught in the crossfire. She reaffirmed the full solidarity of La Francophonie with all countries and communities in the region affected by the crisis.
“The Secretary-General urges all parties to exercise restraint, prioritise diplomatic solutions, and fully respect international law, particularly in safeguarding civilians,” the statement read.
The warning comes as the Middle East enters the sixth day of a rapidly expanding regional war, triggered by massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28. The attacks, code-named Operation Roaring Lion by Israel and Operation Epic Fury by the U.S., targeted Iranian nuclear sites, missile infrastructure, and leadership, and Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reported killed in the opening strikes.
The conflict has since escalated far beyond its initial targets. Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs, targeting Hezbollah, which formally joined the war on March 2. Meanwhile, Iranian drones struck locations in Azerbaijan, marking the first expansion of the fighting into the Caucasus.
In Turkey, NATO forces intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile aimed at its territory. The U.S. Navy also became directly engaged, with a submarine sinking the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, the first torpedo attack by a U.S. submarine since World War II.
Iran’s counterattack, known as Operation True Promise IV, has involved waves of missiles and drones targeting U.S. bases across Iraq, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE, as well as Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
The conflict has also triggered a global humanitarian and economic crisis. Mass evacuations of foreign nationals are underway, airspaces and key shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab El-Mandeb Strait are closed, and global oil prices have surged from $70 to over $85 per barrel.
La Francophonie, which comprises 90 states and governments, including 53 members, 5 associate members, and 32 observers, emphasised in Mushikiwabo’s statement the need for diplomacy and adherence to international law to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.
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