Paris, March 03 (QNA) - France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that his country is ready to defend its partners in the Middle East if they request assistance.

This comes amid attacks launched by Iran in recent days against several countries in the region in response to US and Israeli strikes on Tehran.

In statements to the press, Tuesday, Barrot said that the ongoing war is drawing a number of regional countries into the conflict, including states that maintain relations, interests, and defense agreements with France.

He noted that French Dassault Rafale fighter jets have carried out air operations to secure the airspace over French bases in the region.

In a related matter, the French Foreign Minister confirmed that France is preparing to operate flights to evacuate its most vulnerable citizens from Middle Eastern countries affected by the war against Iran.

According to French Foreign Ministry estimates, around 400,000 French citizens are residing in or are currently present in the Middle Eastern countries concerned by the events, whether as permanent residents, dual nationals, employees, or tourists. (QNA)