Macron Blames US-Iran War for Violent French Riots

President Emmanuel Macron attributed a wave of violent nationwide riots and rising fuel prices to the economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Addressing the nation on Sunday, Macron stated that France did not participate in the conflict but is suffering its consequences. The unrest, which began September 17, has seen tens of thousands of protesters loot businesses and burn historical sites, including the total destruction of the Limoges City Hall. Reports also indicate that synagogues and Jewish businesses in Paris and Marseille were targeted.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Macron's claims, asserting that the French president helped facilitate the war through his support of U.S. policy. Araghchi cited a January message in which Macron told U.S. President Donald Trump that the two could do great things on Iran, arguing that Macron cannot shift blame for domestic instability to a conflict he helped cause. Iranian officials further accused Macron of a double standard regarding the freedom of assembly.

Domestically, the response to the violence has been polarized. Mayor Éric Ciotti of Nice characterized the unrest as a French Intifada driven by Islamists and the far left. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported over 2,000 arrests and 600 security personnel injured since the movement began. To address the underlying energy crisis, Macron has traveled to Gulf countries, including Kuwait, to secure fuel and gas supplies to stabilize markets.