Director General for Political and Security Affairs at France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, H E Frédéric Mondoloni
Doha, Qatar: France has reaffirmed Qatar’s position as a “trusted partner” and pledged to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the country, while highlighting the importance of continued mediation and diplomacy to ensure lasting regional stability.
Director General for Political and Security Affairs at France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, H E Frédéric Mondoloni, in an exclusive interview with The Peninsula yesterday, underscored Paris’ commitment to Doha during the crisis.
“Qatar is a trusted partner, and we want to honour our commitments during this challenging period,” he said, adding that France remains “very committed” to ensuring dialogue prevails and that the ceasefire between the US and Iran is preserved.
Mondoloni said that cooperation between Qatar and France has deepened significantly in both defence and diplomatic spheres during the crisis. “We are standing along our partners in the region and France, including Qatar, to ensure the security of Qatar and structural integrity. We have a strong link with Qatar,” he said, pointing to the longstanding defence agreement between the two countries as “an asset.”
He highlighted sustained high-level engagement between the leadership of both countries since February 28, including exchanges between the French President and H H the Amir, as well as between foreign ministers and senior officials. The recent visit of France’s Minister for Armed Forces was also cited as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce ties, with more high-level visits expected.
On the ground, France has continued to support Qatar’s security through military deployments. “We have deployed Rafale jet fighters in the region. We have deployed air defence systems and radar capabilities in the region, including in Qatar. So, this deployment will continue as long as the situation requires,” Mondoloni said, reaffirming France’s readiness to remain engaged “for now and for the future.”
Describing bilateral ties as “excellent,” Mondoloni said the partnership spans political, economic and cultural domains, built on strong leadership relations and mutual trust. He emphasised that this foundation enables both countries to further strengthen cooperation, particularly during challenging times.
During his two-day visit to Doha for political consultations, Mondoloni met senior Qatari officials, including Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs HE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi and Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari.
He said the visit aimed to exchange views and “demonstrate also the support of France to Qatar in this very difficult situation after the war broke out in February.”
“I think France has demonstrated its support to Qatar, sending what we can do in terms of military capabilities, and defence capabilities to help Qatar overcome this very difficult situation,” he said, also expressing appreciation for Qatar’s assistance in facilitating the safe return of French nationals affected during the early days of the conflict.
Addressing the broader regional situation, Mondoloni welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran and underscored the importance of sustaining it through diplomacy. He added that while the ceasefire is “good news,” a comprehensive and sustained negotiation process is essential to address underlying issues.
France, he said, believes that “regional stability can only be solved through negotiation,” stressing the need for a “real serious… global negotiation process” covering nuclear, ballistic and regional concerns related to Iran.
Although not directly part of the recent Islamabad dialogue between the United States and Iran, France is closely monitoring developments and encouraging continued talks.
Mondoloni acknowledged limited progress but stressed that dialogue must continue. “We should not consider that even if an agreement was not found… that is a lost cause, not at all,” he said, urging stakeholders to build on areas of progress. France, he added, remains actively engaged on multiple diplomatic fronts, including at the United Nations Security Council, where it supported efforts condemning attacks on Gulf states and advocating for regional stability.
“We condemned the horrible and illegal attacks of Iran against its neighbours, including Qatar,” he said, referencing diplomatic efforts that led to the adoption of a Security Council resolution addressing the escalation.
Mondoloni also stressed the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law. “The freedom of navigation should be established, guaranteed, without any kind of mechanism of toll passage. It needs to be free and toll-free,” he said.
He revealed that France, alongside the United Kingdom, is preparing to organise a conference aimed at launching a “peaceful multinational mission” to secure maritime routes in the Strait.
“It is strictly defensive… but we want to deploy it as soon as possible,” he said, adding that discussions are ongoing with partners from Europe, the region and beyond.
Reiterating France’s dual-track approach of defence support and diplomatic engagement, Mondoloni said maintaining open communication channels, including with Iran, remains essential to reducing tensions.
“France is one of the countries that have a functioning channel of communication with Iran… which I think is useful if we want to de-escalate in the current situation,” he said.
As regional dynamics continue to evolve, Mondoloni emphasised that close coordination with trusted partners like Qatar will remain central to France’s strategy, with a clear focus on dialogue, mediation and long-term stability.
