Israel did not inform France in advance of its strikes on Iran, its ambassador to Paris said Friday, citing a shift in the bilateral relationship. “The French state for a certain period is not as close as it was before,” Ambassador Joshua Zarka told RTL radio.
“It’s an ally but not to the point to be pre-warned of such an operation.” He added that the strikes, which he said are expected to continue for days, aim to halt Iran’s nuclear program.
US bases should not be overlooked in any Iranian retaliation following the Israeli airstrikes, Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of Iran’s ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper, said on state television.
“All the evidence shows that the Zionist regime is not acting alone,” he said. “We must not disregard US bases in this matter.”
