France to let US planes not involved in Iran strikes use air base
PARIS, France (AFP)—United States (US) military support jets have been allowed to use a French air base, the French military said Thursday, adding it had “full guarantees” they were not involved in Iran strikes.
The announcement came after President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that US-Israel military operations in Iran were conducted “outside international law”.
“US aircraft providing operational support (not combat aircraft) have been accepted at the Istres air base in France,” the general staff said.
“France has required that the assets involved in no way take part in the operations conducted by the United States in Iran, but strictly in support of the defence of our partners in the region. It has obtained full guarantees to that effect,” it said.
Separately, Alice Rufo, the minister delegate to the defence minister, said “this is a routine procedure within the framework of NATO”.
“In some countries, it is automatic,” she added.
“We systematically verify, and in this case, the aircraft that were able to refuel at Istres were aircraft used for the defence of the Gulf countries and not for American offensive action. That is the limit we have set, and it has been respected,” she added.
“There is no use of French bases in the Near and Middle East for American offensive action,” Rufo said.
According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, four KC-135 refuelling aircraft arrived at the Istres base on Monday from Rota, a Spanish town where a US base is located.
Another aeroplane of the same type arrived on Wednesday, also from Rota.
The aircraft have not left the base since.
Earlier Thursday, Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said that “a refuelling aircraft is a service station, it is not a fighter jet”.
“And so the issue is clearly refuelling capability, that is the only authorisation that has been given by the president,” she said.
Since the start of US-Israeli strikes against Iran last Saturday, France has adopted what Macron called a “strictly defensive” posture.
On Tuesday, he said France was sending the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean.
France is bound by defence agreements with Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE.
Left-wing French politicians have warned that France might get dragged into the war.
