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France Bans Israeli Firms From Exhibiting at Naval Arms Show in Growing Dispute

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Israel's President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Israel to show France's solidarity with the country and further work on the release of hostages who are being held in Gaza. - Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Israel's President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Israel to show France's solidarity with the country and further work on the release of hostages who are being held in Gaza. - Reuters
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France Bans Israeli Firms From Exhibiting at Naval Arms Show in Growing Dispute

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Israel's President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Israel to show France's solidarity with the country and further work on the release of hostages who are being held in Gaza. - Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Israel's President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Israel to show France's solidarity with the country and further work on the release of hostages who are being held in Gaza. - Reuters

France has banned Israeli firms from exhibiting in a naval arms trade show next month, the organizers said on Wednesday, the latest incident in a row fueled by the Macron government's unease over Israel's conduct in the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
The ban came after French efforts to secure a truce in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon foundered and as Israel carries out more airstrikes on targets in the country.
It is the second time this year that France has banned Israel firms from a major defense show, according to Reuters.
In May, France said the conditions were not right for them to take part in the Eurosatory military trade show when President Emmanuel Macron was calling for Israel to cease operations in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.
Euronaval, organizer of the event set to take place in Paris from Nov. 4-7, said in a statement that the French government had informed it that Israeli delegations were not allowed to exhibit stands or show equipment, but could attend the trade show.
The decision affected seven firms, it said.

For his part, Israel's defense minister on Wednesday called the decision "a disgrace".
"We will continue defending our nation against enemies on 7 different fronts, and fighting for our future - with or without France," Yoav Gallant posted on X. 
Israeli forces have carried out numerous airstrikes and a ground incursion targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, causing substantial civilian casualties and leading Western allies, including France, to call for an immediate ceasefire.
Diplomatic sparring between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron has increased in recent weeks after Paris had worked with Washington to secure a 21-day truce that would then open the door to negotiations on a long-term diplomatic solution.
Believing Israel had agreed the terms, France and the United States were caught by surprise when the next day Israel launched strikes that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Netanyahu has rejected a unilateral ceasefire that fails to stop Hezbollah rearming and regrouping.
Macron has irked Netanyahu several times in recent weeks, notably as United Nations' peacekeeping forces have been caught in Israeli crossfire in southern Lebanon.
He has called for an end to the supply to Israel of offensive weapons used in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed and a humanitarian crisis has unfolded in a year of warfare against Hamas militants.
On Tuesday, Macron told a cabinet meeting that Netanyahu should not forget that his country was created by a UN decision, according to a French official.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot sought to downplay the comments, saying they had been general remarks reminding Israel of the importance of respecting the UN charter.
But Netanyahu's office said in response that Israel was established through "the War of Independence with the blood of our heroic fighters, many of whom were Holocaust survivors, including from the Vichy regime in France" - referring to the French government that had collaborated with Nazi Germany.

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World

Moscow Bets on Tehran’s Resilience, Western Rift

The Russian President attends events marking “Defender of the Fatherland Day” in Moscow on February 23 (AP)
The Russian President attends events marking “Defender of the Fatherland Day” in Moscow on February 23 (AP)
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Moscow Bets on Tehran’s Resilience, Western Rift

The Russian President attends events marking “Defender of the Fatherland Day” in Moscow on February 23 (AP)
The Russian President attends events marking “Defender of the Fatherland Day” in Moscow on February 23 (AP)

The Kremlin’s expectations appeared markedly pessimistic in the fourth week of the Iran war, as confidence grew that Russia’s ability to influence the conflict was waning and that the repercussions for one of its key partners could be severe.

With limited leverage, the Kremlin’s main options now seem to be avoiding direct involvement while closely monitoring the fallout, particularly signs of widening divisions between Washington and European capitals — and what one veteran Russian diplomat described as “driving the final wedge” into transatlantic relations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov summed up the mood: “No reasonable person would dare predict how the situation in the Middle East will evolve, but it is clear that things are moving toward the worse.”

From the outset, Russian assessments have focused on two key assumptions: that air strikes alone cannot topple Iran’s political system, regardless of their scale, and that ending the war without a costly ground intervention would be difficult for the attacking parties.

A second assumption is that any cessation of hostilities would resemble the outcome of the brief 12-day war of 2025, with each side claiming success without achieving its ultimate objectives, particularly Israel’s stated goal of dismantling Iran’s ruling system.

Such a scenario would suit Moscow, even if Iran were to emerge weakened but still cohesive under its leadership.

Despite increasingly pessimistic forecasts about a potential geographic expansion of the conflict, Moscow believes Tehran has so far absorbed the initial blow and shifted the confrontation into a war of attrition. Russian officials are also banking on possible internal developments within Washington and Tel Aviv, as well as growing divergences with European allies.

Peskov has repeatedly stressed that military operations against Iran have led to greater cohesion among the Iranian people around their leadership, adding that attempts at regime change tend to produce the opposite effect.

He also condemned ongoing assassination campaigns targeting Iranian leaders, calling the situation “abnormal” and warning of “serious consequences.” In a pointed remark, he added that Iran is “actively defending itself against attacks on its territory.”

These statements underline Russia’s primary bet: that Iran’s internal stability will hold, while divisions deepen among its adversaries.

Putin’s mediation effort

President Vladimir Putin initially sought to use the crisis to bolster Russia’s diplomatic standing by proposing rapid mediation to halt the war.

During the first week, he held a series of calls with regional leaders, criticizing Iranian strikes on Gulf countries while emphasizing Moscow’s ability to send “direct messages” to Tehran.

Russia also revived earlier proposals discussed in Oman concerning Iran’s nuclear capabilities and missile program. Moscow offered to take control of enriched uranium and transfer it to Russian territory, while guaranteeing that Iran’s missile capabilities would not be used against Israel or neighboring states.

The proposal was also raised during Putin’s only call with US President Donald Trump in the second week of the war. However, it failed to gain traction in either Tel Aviv — which insists on a military solution — or Washington, where Trump signaled that Putin should first resolve the Ukraine conflict before seeking a role elsewhere.

Limited support for Iran

Against this backdrop, the Kremlin’s options for meaningful intervention appear extremely limited. Complicating matters are accusations that Moscow has provided valuable intelligence support to Iran.

These claims gained weight when US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly issued a strong warning to Moscow, and the issue was raised directly during the Trump-Putin call.

Nevertheless, Russian circles argue that Moscow has little choice but to continue offering indirect assistance to Tehran while avoiding provoking Washington.

According to Russian media sources, this support takes two main forms: sharing limited intelligence on Israeli movements — carefully calibrated to avoid harming US interests — and providing indirect backing through private companies specializing in cyber technologies, an area where Russia and China have made significant advances.

European repercussions

Another key aspect of Russia’s strategy is its close monitoring of how the war is affecting Ukraine and European positions, which Moscow still sees as the main obstacle to ending the conflict on its terms.

There is little concealment of Russian satisfaction at Europe’s difficulties amid the war, particularly fears over rising oil and gas prices and the prospect of easing sanctions on Moscow to offset supply shortages.

Kremlin commentary suggests that European priorities are shifting, with energy costs replacing Ukraine at the top of government agendas.

Veteran Russian diplomat Alexander Yakovenko argued that the Middle East crisis, combined with the fallout from Ukraine, is intensifying tensions within the transatlantic alliance.

He pointed to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejecting a US request to help secure the Strait of Hormuz as evidence of deepening strains. Trump, he noted, responded by describing NATO as a “paper tiger.”

According to Yakovenko, the coming weeks will be decisive for the Iran conflict and its broader consequences. He added that transatlantic relations are facing a severe crisis, with disagreements over Ukraine fueling European opposition to Trump, a factor that could influence the US midterm elections in November.

More broadly, he warned that a US setback in Iran would weaken Washington’s position vis-à-vis Beijing, noting that China has already used export controls on rare earth minerals to counter US trade pressure.

In this context, Yakovenko sees the emergence of three dominant global powers — the United States, China and Russia — with Europe increasingly sidelined.

Such a shift, he suggested, would echo the post-World War II Yalta-Potsdam order, albeit with China replacing Britain, marking the end of two centuries of Western containment of Russia.

World

Greek PM Announces New Mideast War Fallout Relief Measures

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during a joint press conference with Cyprus' and France's presidents at Paphos military airport, in Paphos, Cyprus, 09 March 2026, (EPA)
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during a joint press conference with Cyprus' and France's presidents at Paphos military airport, in Paphos, Cyprus, 09 March 2026, (EPA)
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Greek PM Announces New Mideast War Fallout Relief Measures

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during a joint press conference with Cyprus' and France's presidents at Paphos military airport, in Paphos, Cyprus, 09 March 2026, (EPA)
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during a joint press conference with Cyprus' and France's presidents at Paphos military airport, in Paphos, Cyprus, 09 March 2026, (EPA)

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday announced a raft of additional measures to mitigate the energy cost of the Middle East war.

In a televised address, Mitsotakis said the government had earmarked 300 million euros ($346 million) in relief for households and farmers in April and May, said AFP.

The subsidies are targeted at reducing the cost of diesel fuel, petrol and fertilizer. Part of the initiative is aimed at holding back price hikes in ferry fares to the islands, Mitsotakis said.

Oil prices rose on Monday after the United States and Israel warned at the weekend that the war against Iran -- which has disrupted oil deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz -- would continue for several more weeks.

Greece had already announced a first batch of measures on March 11, capping profit margins on gasoline and foodstuffs for three months.

Mitsotakis on Monday said the government was keeping additional funds on tap.

"Since no one knows how long this war will last, we are obviously keeping reserves in case the global economic situation deteriorates significantly," the conservative leader said.

World

Russia Opposes Hormuz Blockade, Interfax Reports

The reactor building of Iran's nuclear power plant and electricity poles are seen, at Bushehr, Iran, 750 miles (1,245 kilometers) south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Feb. 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
The reactor building of Iran's nuclear power plant and electricity poles are seen, at Bushehr, Iran, 750 miles (1,245 kilometers) south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Feb. 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
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Russia Opposes Hormuz Blockade, Interfax Reports

The reactor building of Iran's nuclear power plant and electricity poles are seen, at Bushehr, Iran, 750 miles (1,245 kilometers) south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Feb. 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
The reactor building of Iran's nuclear power plant and electricity poles are seen, at Bushehr, Iran, 750 miles (1,245 kilometers) south of the capital Tehran, Iran, Feb. 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

Russia opposes any blockade of the Strait ‌of ‌Hormuz but ‌says ⁠such issues must ⁠be viewed in ⁠the context ‌of ‌the broader ‌global ‌situation, Interfax reported ‌on Monday, citing the ⁠Russian Foreign ⁠Ministry.

In a statement the Ministry said: “We hope the United States acts wisely and not threaten Bushehr nuclear power plant”.

US President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders traded threats over the key Strait of Hormuz Monday, amid threats that the US-Israel war on Iran could last several more weeks.

With the conflict now in its fourth week and showing no sign of ending, the head of the International Energy Agency warned of the worst global energy crisis in decades and said the world economy was under "major threat" from it.

Observers, meanwhile, have also raised the prospect of a surge in inflation that could force central banks to hike interest rates, while the choking off of fertilizer shipments has also fanned concerns about global food security.

The US president on Saturday gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping or face the destruction of its energy infrastructure.

The ultimatum, made just a day after the US leader said he was considering "winding down" military operations, came as the waterway -- through which a fifth of global oil and gas flows -- remained effectively closed.