PARIS, April 7 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday firmly opposed any strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure, following U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to strike Iran's civilian sites and energy infrastructure.
Speaking on French radio France Info, Barrot warned that any strike on civilian infrastructure would trigger "a new phase of escalation and reprisals."
Meanwhile, the minister called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, whose blockage is paralyzing the global economy.
Trump said on Tuesday morning that Iran's "whole civilization will die tonight," a deadline he set for Iran to make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a possible sharp escalation in tensions.
According to media reports, U.S. forces have struck military targets on Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran's oil exports, overnight. Airstrikes also hit multiple railway lines across Iran on Tuesday. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps warned on the same day that if the U.S. army crosses the red line in attacking civilian targets, Iran's response "will go beyond the region." ■
