PARIS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, saying the outbreak of a war between the United States, Israel and Iran has "serious consequences" for international peace and security.
Macron spoke separately with leaders of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and the president of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, his office said.
France was ready to deploy the necessary resources to protect
its closest partners at their request, Macron said on X.
"The current escalation is dangerous for everyone. It must stop. The Iranian regime must understand that it now has no other option but to engage in good-faith negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as its actions to destabilize the region," Macron said.
"This is absolutely essential for the security of everyone in the Middle East," he added.
"The Iranian people must also be able to build their future freely. The massacres perpetrated by the Islamic regime discredit it and necessitate that the people be given a voice. The sooner the better."
The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, plunging the Middle East into a new conflict that President Donald Trump said would end a security threat to the United States and offer Iranians a chance to topple their rulers.
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Michel Rose; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
