Israel-Iran conflict: Emmanuel Macron says the strike on Evin prison "endangered the lives of civilians"

During a press conference in Oslo, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday, June 23, that the Israeli strike on Evin Prison in Tehran had "nothing to do" with the "stated objectives" of destroying Iran's nuclear program and had "endangered" civilians, including two French "hostages."

"I believe it has nothing to do with the officially stated objectives, it does not reduce Iran's nuclear program in any way, and it has endangered the lives of Iranian and foreign civilians," he added.

"The Iranian foreign minister was able to speak with our foreign minister and assured him that our two hostages had not been harmed," Emmanuel Macron said, referring to Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris , who have been held by Tehran for three years.

At the same time, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the Israeli strike "unacceptable" in a message on X.

"Cécile and Jacques were not affected by the damage caused there," added the head of French diplomacy, who "requested their news and their immediate release from (his) Iranian counterpart.

Two days after the US intervention against three nuclear sites , Emmanuel Macron declared that "there is no legal framework for these strikes," but assured that France "shares the objective of not seeing Iran acquire nuclear weapons." "This can be achieved through diplomatic and technical means," he reaffirmed.

Israel announced that it had carried out airstrikes of "unprecedented" force, targeting Revolutionary Guard command centers and the Iranian prison.

Israeli attacks in Iran "cause great suffering," UN experts also said, particularly concerned for prisoners held near bomb sites after the Israeli strike on this prison.

In a statement, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the country called on all parties to "respect international law and protect civilians."