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52 French ships stuck in the Gulf amid Iran conflict, minister says

By Thomson Reuters Mar 6, 2026 | 1:48 AM

PARIS, March 6 (Reuters) – Around 50 French ships are currently ​blocked in ‌the Persian Gulf and another eight in the Red Sea, France’s ‌Transport ​Minister Philippe ⁠Tabarot said on ⁠Friday, as Paris seeks support to build a coalition of ​countries to secure shipping traffic ⁠in the ⁠region.

“There are around ​fifty ships – 52 ​to be precise – in the ‌Persian Gulf and eight in the Red Sea, ⁠and we are also in permanent contact with the ⁠crews, ‌as there ⁠are French sailors ​aboard ‌a number of ​these vessels,” ⁠Tabarot told French broadcaster CNews/Europe 1.

(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by Makini ​Brice)