FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

Paris, May 18, 2026. Donald Trump announced on Monday that he had renounced a military attack against Iran planned for Tuesday, May 19, yielding to the express request of three Gulf leaders. This is the official platform of Truth Social: Emir of Qatar Tamim ben Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salman, and President of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed ben Zayed Al Nahyan personally solicited the postponement of the operation, estimating that an agreement remained possible with Tehran.

But the American president accompanied this gesture with clear reservations. The US armed forces, under the authority of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and General Daniel Caine, remain on high alert to launch "a major offensive at any moment," if no acceptable agreement is found. The day before, Trump had already hardened the tone on Truth Social: "For Iran, time is pressing, and the Iranians would do better to act quickly, otherwise there won't be anything left of them."

This dual register — threat of total destruction and outstretched hand towards negotiation — illustrates the tension at the heart of American diplomacy since the ceasefire came into effect on April 8, after nearly forty days of strikes. Only one session of talks between American and Iranian representatives took place, on April 11 in Islamabad, ending in failure. Washington has since submitted a five-point list demanding, among other things, that Iran maintain only one active nuclear site and transfer its highly enriched uranium stocks to the United States. Tehran, via the Fars agency, judged that these positions constituted "no tangible concession."

Iran maintains its own demands: the release of frozen assets abroad and the lifting of international sanctions. Its President Massoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed on Monday that "dialogue does not mean capitulation." The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that a response had been transmitted to Washington "via the Pakistani mediator," without revealing its content.

On the economic consequences, France 24 documents the extent of the damage: according to a Reuters analysis, the American-Iranian war has already cost global companies at least $25 billion. At least 279 listed companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia have cited the conflict to justify price increases, production reductions, or dividend cuts. The blockade on the Strait of Hormuz — through which normally transits about 20% of global oil exports — is driving up prices: Brent reached $111.27 per barrel on Monday morning, its highest level since early May.