Nancy Guthrie lead cop admits he's 'intentionally withholding' vital clues from public

The sheriff leading the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has admitted he is deliberately holding back key details from the public as the hunt for answers intensifies.

Nancy wasabducted from her $1 million home in Tucson, Arizona, more than six weeks ago in circumstances that have baffled investigators and shaken the local community. Despite officers working around-the-clock,there have been no notable arrests.

As the search drags on, the grim reality is beginning to set in for those closest to her. Even family members, including Today show host Savannah Guthrie, have acknowledged there is a possibility Nancy "may already be gone." It comes after achilling new theory emerged on how Nancy Guthrie was sickeningly taken from her home.

•Nancy Guthrie cops break silence as woman's body found in Phoenix canal

•Toxic truth about Savannah Guthrie's Today Show return revealed

Authorities believe the kidnap may not have been random, stating several elements around the case suggest the disappearance could have been carefully planned. Investigators are examining everything from a possible targeted motive to potential technological interference on the night Nancy vanished.

In an interview with NBC News, Chris Nanos revealed detectives believe they have a strong sense of what may have happened but insisted that sharing the theory publicly could jeopardize the case.

During a probing exchange with NBC reporter Liz Kreutz, the sheriff acknowledged the chilling possibility that whoever is responsible could still pose a danger. "Do you think that this suspect could strike again, whoever did this?" Kreutz asked.

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Nanos replied, "Well, absolutely, we believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted. We're not 100% sure of that, and so it'd be silly to tell people, yeah, don't worry about it. You're not his target. Don't think for a minute that because it happened to the Guthrie family, you're safe. You know, keep, keep your wits about you."

The warning has heightened concern in the community as investigators continue combing through evidence from the night Nancy disappeared. Pressed further on whether detectives had uncovered a motive, Kreutz asked if developments in the investigation had provided clarity about why someone might have targeted Nancy.

Nanos responded, "I think from day one, we had some strong beliefs about what happened, and those beliefs haven't diminished." However, when asked if the incident could have been a burglary that spiraled out of control, the sheriff refused to speculate.

"Do you believe it was a burglary gone wrong?" Kreutz asked. "I'm not going to get into those theories. We have our beliefs. Everybody else has theirs," Nanos said.

Nanos confirmed investigators are intentionally withholding their main theory and other details, saying doing so is necessary to protect the integrity of the case.

Behind the scenes, detectives are exploring whether internet or electrical disruptions occurred at the Guthrie home when Nancy vanished, including the possibility a Wi-Fi jammer disabled connectivity or security systems.

The sheriff also confirmed forensic evidence recovered inside the property, including "mixed DNA," could still prove crucial in identifying a suspect. Despite the lack of arrests, authorities remain hopeful the genetic evidence could eventually lead them to the person responsible.

Meanwhile, Nancy's family have dramatically increased the reward for information, offering $1 million for details leading to her whereabouts on top of the $200,000 already pledged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and additional funds from the Pima County Attorney's Office reward program.

It comes afterNancy Guthrie's neighbor issued a chilling eight-word description of the suspected kidnapper.

byCosmopolite

in

March 16, 2026

Nancy Guthrie lead cop admits he's 'intentionally withholding' vital clues from public

The sheriff leading the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has admitted he is ...

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Inside the Oscars afterparty – tearful celebrations, unexpected reunions

LOS ANGELES – At the Governors Ball – theOscars' official afterparty – it wasone winner after anotherraising their newly engraved statuette in glorious victory and celebrating Hollywood's biggest night with their loved ones.

Best actor and actress winnersMichael B. JordanandJessie Buckleyascended the trophy engraving platform as the celebration was in full swing Sunday, March 15. Jordan, who smiled as he watched a woman affix a gold plaque etched with his "Sinners" win on his new hardware, beamed when he saw his sister, Jamila Jordan-Theus, join him onstage.

The actor rushed to her, the two sharing a 10-second embrace as flashes erupted around them. Jordan-Theus cackled as they rocked back and forth, and Jordan tucked her arm into his so they could witness his first Oscar win become cemented in Academy Awards history.

After a long, heated race, Michael B. Jordan is officially an Oscar winner.

The actor, producer and director took home the award for best actor at the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, for his lead dual roles in Ryan Coogler's "Sinners."

Prior to his Oscar-winning role, however, Jordan initially broke out in television, playing Wallace in Season 1 of the HBO crime drama series "The Wire." His film breakout role was "Fruitvale Station," and he's also known for his work in the "Creed" and "Black Panther" movies.

Scroll through to see more photos of the actor, also known as MBJ, throughout his career and his journey to the Oscars.

Pictured here, Jordan poses with the Oscar for best actor for "Sinners" in the Oscars photo room at the 98th Academy Awards.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan as Smoke in the 2025 thriller "Sinners."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan poses for a USA TODAY photo shoot with director Ryan Coogler while promoting "Sinners" in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan joined Michael K. Williams and Andre Royo, costars from HBO's "The Wire," at New York Fashion Week on Feb. 3, 2006.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> One of Michael B. Jordan's early acting gigs was on the ABC television soap opera "All My Children" in the early 2000s.

Pictured here, a young Jordan attends a T-Mobile event in New York City in 2006.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan poses for a portrait during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 19, 2013, in Park City, Utah.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Idris Elba and Michael B. Jordan attend the 45th NAACP Image Awards presented by TV One at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Feb. 22, 2014, in Pasadena, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan played Adonis Johnson opposite Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in "Creed," a 2015 spinoff of the "Rocky" franchise.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jamie Bell, Miles Teller, Kate Mara and Michael B. Jordan attend the New York premiere of "Fantastic Four" at Williamsburg Cinemas on Aug. 4, 2015, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From left, Michael B. Jordan, Spike Lee and John David Washington attend the 19th Annual AFI Awards on Jan. 4, 2019, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan and Oprah Winfrey speak during Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations on Feb. 5, 2019, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan backstage at the 88th annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on Feb. 28, 2016, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger squared off against the Black Panther played by Chadwick Boseman in the 2018 film "Black Panther."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan accepts the best villain award for his role in "Black Panther" onstage during the 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards on June 16, 2018, in Santa Monica, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From left, Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan, Chadwick Boseman and Lupita Nyong'o celebrate on stage as the cast of "Black Panther" accepts the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture the 25th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2019.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan attends the 91st annual Academy Awards with his mother, Donna Jordan, on Feb. 24, 2019, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx attend an event to promote the film "Just Mercy" on Dec. 17, 2019, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan, Kendrick Sampson and others participate in the Hollywood talent agencies march to support Black Lives Matter protests on June 6, 2020, in Beverly Hills, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan and Denzel Washington attend the world premiere of "A Journal For Jordan" on Dec. 9, 2021, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan and Lori Harvey attend the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar party following the 94th Oscars in Beverly Hills, California, on March 27, 2022.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan attends the ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 1, 2023, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan accepts the Oscar for best actor for "Sinners" during the Oscars show at the 98th Academy Awards in Hollywood, March 15, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael B. Jordan attends the Vanity Fair Oscar party in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See Michael B. Jordan's career – 'Sinners,' 'Creed,' and Oscars win

After a long, heated race,Michael B. Jordanis officially an Oscar winner.The actor, producer and director took homethe award for best actorat the 98th Academy Awards on March 15, 2026, for his lead dual roles inRyan Coogler's "Sinners."Prior to his Oscar-winning role, however, Jordan initially broke out in television, playing Wallace in Season 1 of theHBOcrime drama series "The Wire." His film breakout role was "Fruitvale Station," and he's also known for his work in the "Creed" and "Black Panther" movies.Scroll through to see more photos of the actor, also known as MBJ, throughout his career and his journey to theOscars.Pictured here, Jordan poses with the Oscar for best actor for "Sinners" in the Oscars photo room at the 98th Academy Awards.

Buckley, who laughed in disbelief upon seeing the flock of admirers watching the winners get their flowers, shared a smooch with husband Freddie Sorensen after presenting her statuette to the Academy staffers. And"Golden" winner EJAE, after stopping for several minutes' worth of fan photos, joined cowriters Zhun, Yu Han Lee and Mark Sonnenblickas in capturing videos of the plaque being screwed on to their "KPop Demon Hunters" trophy.

"I'm just so proud of her," EJAE's fiancé, Sam Kim, said as he gazed up at her from below the stage.

Those who took home a coveted Oscar weren't the only ones celebrating at the Wolfgang Puck-catered event. "Hamnet" producerSteven Spielberg, "Frankenstein" star Jacob Elordi, presenter Priyanka Chopra-Jonas and performer Sterling K. Brown also made an appearance at the fifth-floor afterparty.

From winners' post-Oscars elatedness to snippets of conversations, these were some other moments we observed at the Governors Ball.

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'K-Pop Demon Hunters' have a Huntr/X-worthy reaction to Oscar win

After journeying up several escalators, "Golden" singers Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna – whose voices were featured on the hit "Demon Hunters" soundtrack – let out a collective cheer as EJAE joined them at the party's entrance.

From Emma Stone and Demi Moore having a catch-up to all the winners embracing their major moment backstage, here's a look at everything going on behind the scenes at the 98th Academy Awards.

Pictured here, Conan O'Brien talks to Amy Madigan, winner of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for "Weapons," backstage during the Oscars.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti speak during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Performer Josh Groban poses backstage.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Howell Taylor and actress Elle Fanning share a laugh.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Demi Moore greets this year's best actress nominee (and two time winner) Emma Stone.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

The best Oscars moments you didn't see on TV, from backstage sightings to celeb hangouts

FromEmma Stone and Demi Moorehaving a catch-up to all the winners embracing their major moment backstage, here's a look at everything going on behind the scenes at the98th Academy Awards.Pictured here,Conan O'Brientalks to Amy Madigan,winner of the Oscarfor Best Supporting Actress for "Weapons," backstage during the Oscars.

EJAE wiped at her face and shared the trophy with her fellow singers as their entourage joined in celebrating their golden glory.

Kieran Culkincompliments Michael B Jordan's authenticity

As Jordan had his statuette personalized, 2025 best supporting actor winner Kieran Culkin observed, in a side conversation, that the "Sinners" star seemed to be genuinely soaking up his win without any pretenses.

"No one wants to hear your bit unless you're Kristin Wig or Maya Rudolph," he said.

Yvette Nicole Brown, Ken Jeong have a warm 'Community' reunion

From Greendale Community College to the Academy Awards, "Zootopia 2" voice actorYvette Nicole Brownand "K-Pop Demon Hunters's" Ken Jeong remain fond of each other through it all.

The two "Community" alumni, who are expected to reprise their roles as Shirley Bennett and Professor Chang in the 2009-2015 show's highly anticipated film, shared a laugh near the entrance. When they spotted each other near the trophy station, Jeong gave Brown a sweet peck on the cheek.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Oscars afterparty – All the celeb interactions, emotional moments

byCosmopolite

in

March 16, 2026

Inside the Oscars afterparty – tearful celebrations, unexpected reunions

LOS ANGELES – At the Governors Ball – theOscars' official afterparty – it wasone winner after anotherraising their n...

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Trump demands other countries help secure vital Strait of Hormuz as Iran vows defiance

By Maya Gebeily, Emily Rose and Jarrett Renshaw

DUBAI/JERUSALEM/PALM BEACH, Florida, March 15 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Sunday his administration is talking to seven countries about helping to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, calling on them to help protect ships in the vital waterway that Tehran has mostly blocked to oil tanker traffic.

With the conflict creating turmoil across the Middle ‌East and shaking up global energy markets in its third week, Trump insisted that nations relying heavily on oil from the Gulf have a responsibility to protect the strait.

"I'm demanding that these countries come in ‌and protect their own territory because it is their territory," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on the way from Florida to Washington. "It's the place from which they get their energy."

Though he declined to identify the seven governments that his administration has contacted, Trump said this weekend that he ​expected many countries would send warships to allow shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for 20% of the world's oil.

He said in a social media post he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would participate.

In an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday, Trump ratcheted up pressure on European allies to help protect the strait, warning that NATO faces a "very bad" future if its members fail to come to Washington's aid.

Trump also said Washington is in contact with Iran but expressed doubt that Tehran is prepared for serious negotiations to end the conflict.

U.S. officials responding to economic uncertainty over high oil prices predicted on Sunday that the war on Iran would end within weeks and that a drop in energy costs would follow, despite ‌Iran's assertion that it remains "stable and strong" and ready to defend itself.

Trump had threatened ⁠more strikes on Iran's main oil export hub Kharg Island over the weekend and said he was not ready to reach a deal to end the war which has shut off the vital Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump administration plans to announce as early as this week that multiple countries have agreed to form a coalition to escort ships through the narrow waterway but ⁠they are still discussing whether those operations would begin before or after hostilities end, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials.

Trump offered few specifics about the kind of assistance he wanted from other countries to open up the strait, except to say some have minesweepers and "a certain type of boat that could help us."

Asian markets were in a wary mood on Monday as the Gulf hostilities kept oil prices elevated. Brent rose 0.1% to $103.27 a barrel, while U.S. crude fell 0.7% to $97.99.

IRAN DENIES TRUMP CLAIM ON NEGOTIATIONS

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Trump, who ​on ​Friday said the U.S. Navy would "soon" start escorting oil tankers, has said previously that Iran wants to negotiate, but Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas ​Araqchi earlier on Sunday disputed that claim.

"We have never asked for a ceasefire, and we ‌have never asked even for negotiations," Araqchi told CBS' "Face the Nation" program. "We are ready to defend ourselves for as long as it takes."

With crude oil prices hovering around $100 a barrel, Trump administration officials insisted that all signs point to a relatively quick end to the conflict.

"This conflict will certainly come to the end in the next few weeks — could be sooner than that," U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told ABC's "This Week" program.

Trump on Sunday did not put a timeframe on concluding the war but said oil prices "are going to come tumbling down as soon as it's over, and it's going to be over pretty quick."

But the U.S. president said he saw no reason to declare victory yet.

"I think I just say they're decimated." Trump told reporters. "If we left right now, it would take them 10 years or more to rebuild, but I'm still not declaring it over."

Meanwhile, Araqchi sought to project an image of strength and resilience despite waves of U.S. and Israeli air ‌strikes that have killed a number of Iranian leaders, sunk much of the Islamic Republic's navy and devastated its missile arsenal.

"It's not ​a war of survival. We are stable and strong enough," Araqchi told CBS. "We don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because ​we were talking with them when they decided to attack us, and that was for the second time."

KHARG ISLAND

Trump ​said on Saturday that U.S. strikes had "totally demolished" much of Kharg Island and warned of more, telling NBC News on Saturday, "We may hit it a few more times just for fun."

The ‌comments marked a sharp escalation from Trump, who had previously said the U.S. was targeting ​only military sites on Kharg, and dealt a blow to diplomatic ​efforts to end a war that has spread across the Middle East and killed more than 2,000 people, most in Iran and Lebanon.

With global air transport heavily disrupted and no clear end in sight, Iran's ability to choke off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, has emerged as a decisive threat to the global economy.

Although some Iranian vessels have continued to pass ​and a few ships from other countries have successfully made the crossing, the passage ‌has been effectively closed for most of the world's tanker traffic since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 at the start of an intensive bombing campaign that has hit thousands ​of targets across the country.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily in Dubai, Emily Rose in Jerusalem and Jarrett Renshaw in Palm Beach, Florida; Additional reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by James Mackenzie, David Morgan and Matt ​Spetalnick; Editing by Sergio Non, Chizu Nomiyama, William Mallard, Gareth Jones, Andrew Heavens, Deepa Babington, Diane Craft and Michael Perry)

byCosmopolite

in

March 16, 2026

Trump demands other countries help secure vital Strait of Hormuz as Iran vows defiance

By Maya Gebeily, Emily Rose and Jarrett Renshaw DUBAI/JERUSALEM/PALM BEACH, Florida, March 15 (Reuters) - Pr...

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Why France is bolstering military presence in the Middle East, as Macron prepares for postwar talks

PARIS (AP) — France's government is bolstering the country's military presence in the Middle East, dispatchingits aircraft carrierandother warships, while President Emmanuel Macron engages with key players inthe conflict, including Iran, in a bid to position Paris for future diplomatic talks.

Cyprus Macron Defense

Macron said that France's military involvement is strictly "defensive" and aims to avoid making the country a party to the war.

He reaffirmed that position after one French soldier was killed Thursday in a drone attack in Iraq.

"We are not at war with anyone," Macron said.

Still, the large-scale deployment of the French navy — which he described as "unprecedented" — has made France the European nation with the most prominent presence in the region.

Visiting the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier last week, Macron said that its presence in the Mediterranean demonstrates "France's strength: a balancing power, a force for peace."

Here's what to know about Macron' strategy.

France's large naval deployment

Macron announced the deployment to the eastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East of eight warships, two helicopter carriers and the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle with its 20 Rafale fighter jets.

The French frigate Languedoc arrived off Cyprus, a fellow European Union member, to bolster anti-drone and anti-missile defenses. Cyprus and France signed a new strategic partnership in December. Macron also said that two French frigates have been dispatched to the Red Sea to help ensure maritime security and freedom of navigation.

Macron said that the warship deployment is intended to allow France "to respond to emergency situations" and evacuate French nationals if necessary.

France has more than 400,000 citizens in the Middle East — more than any other European country — including more than half in Israel and over 60,000 in the United Arab Emirates.

Other European nations, including Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Greece, have deployed frigates in the region.

The French navy's swift deployment contrasts with the United Kingdom's delay in sending the HMS Dragon destroyer, which left Portsmouth, England, on March 10.

U.K. opposition parties have accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government of moving too slowly to protect British bases in Cyprus and allies in the Middle East. The U.K. government also has sent Typhoon and F-35 fighter jets, helicopters and air defense systems to the region to help intercept Iranian missiles and drones.

Defending Gulf allies

France has key defense agreements with several countries in the region, including Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, where it maintains a permanent base in Abu Dhabi. France's military, which has air and naval forces there, doubled the number of Rafale fighter jets stationed on site to 12.

French authorities acknowledged that Rafale jets intercepted drones targeting the UAE since the beginning of the war.

"We stand by the side of our allies and our friends," Macron said during his visit to the Charles de Gaulle. "There have been some interceptions that have continued in recent days."

"We do so within the framework of our partnerships," he said, without providing further details.

French forces are also deployed in Jordan and Iraq.

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On Thursday, one French soldier was killed and several others injured in a drone attack in the region of Irbil, in northern Iraq. They were training Iraqi units as part of a multinational counterterrorism mission in the country.

Former President François Hollande, who led France from 2012 to 2017, said that it was important for France to show it can protect its nationals and reassure its partners, but warned of the risks.

"We must be careful — it's always a risky operation — to make sure our warships are not targeted," Hollande said. "Because if they are attacked, we have to fire back."

Historic ties with Lebanon

Macron is leading a diplomatic effort to try to halt the conflict in Lebanon, where at least 850 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced as the Hezbollah militant groupentered a new round of fightingwith Israel. Macron urged Hezbollah to stop fighting and called on Israel to renounce any ground offensive.

France supports the Lebanese military as authorities have pledged to "take control" of positions held by Hezbollah and assume full responsibility for security in the country, Macron said. Hezbollah's arsenal notably includes exploding drones, similar to the ones used by Iran.

France has traditionally been a key supporter of Lebanon, a former French protectorate, and maintains 800 troops in the U.N. peacekeeping force there. The French government provided the country with armored vehicles and operational military support.

France sent 60 tons of emergency aid to Lebanon last week on a humanitarian flight to Beirut, authorities said. The shipment included medicines, medical equipment, a mobile health unit, shelter materials, basic necessities and infant formula.

Maintaining contact with Iran

Macron was the first Western leader to speak with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian since the war began.

He said he urged Iran to halt strikes against countries in the region. Since the phone call on March 8, this appeal had gone unanswered.

Macron stressed that "a diplomatic solution" is needed to end the escalation and said that he and Pezeshkian agreed to remain in contact.

Macron also spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, though there were no signs of de-escalation.

France hopes diplomatic efforts could bear fruit once the most intense phase of the conflict subsides, which could take weeks or months.

Macron is also promoting an international effortto secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy corridor, so oil, gas and goods can flow freely again "when circumstances permit." He has suggested countries could use warships to escort tankers and container ships once fighting eases.

Political analyst Bertrand Badie, an international relations professor at Sciences Po Paris, said Macron has long sought to assert France's role on the global stage.

With low approval ratings at home and about a year left in his term, Macron may have the most to gain among European leaders by pursuing diplomacy, Badie said.

"At this point, we are forced to scale back our expectations — drastically," he said. "From a diplomatic standpoint, what leverage does France really have?"

"My assessment is that this crisis cannot be resolved by French remedies," Badie said. "There is no point in having any illusions."

Jill Lawless contributed to this report from London.

byCosmopolite

in

March 16, 2026

Why France is bolstering military presence in the Middle East, as Macron prepares for postwar talks

PARIS (AP) — France's government is bolstering the country's military presence in the Middle East, dispatchingit...

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