Russia works “closely” with Iran while Qatar says negotiations between the United States and Tehran are still ongoing.

Embattled French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday placed some of the blame for widespread rioting and looting across France on the U.S. war against the terrorist regime in Iran.

The controversial passage referring to the war in Iran in his televised speech drew criticism from some experts. Macron said that “the demonstrators expressed their concern about the cost of living and the price of fuel. Both are motivated by the conflict sparked in the Persian Gulf, a conflict in which France did not take part but of which we are suffering the consequences.”

He added: “I fully understand their concern. It is also expressed in several other European capitals. This is why I have taken several initiatives at international level to secure our fuel and gas and act on the energy markets.” Macron announced he would travel to the Gulf for a three-country stopover to discuss the energy crisis.

It is unclear which protesters Macron flagged over his alleged concerns about fuel prices. Fox News Digital reported Monday on the inner workings of the large-scale riots, with many of the groups cited seeking to abolish the free enterprise system.

Macron stressed that those who tried “to bring down the republic will be held responsible.”

President Donald Trump told reporters Monday: “I said the first time I met Macron, I told him, you have to close your borders. You’re going to ruin your country. And they ruined their country. It’s going to be hard to get it back. But I hope France comes back.”

A spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry referred Fox News Digital to President Macron’s televised speech on Sunday and referred Fox News Digital to the Elysée press office for further questions. The Élysée press service did not respond at the time of publication.

Lisa Daftari, an Iran expert, told Fox News Digital: “Macron points to the war in Iran, but fuel is expensive because the Iranian regime has closed the Strait of Hormuz and held the world’s energy supply hostage. The biggest question is whether it’s really about the students and the price of fuel.

According to Daftari, editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk, “this is not a protest against the price of diesel. This is organized anarchy and Macron’s own government admits it, blaming ultra-left groups and criminals. France is going through an internal crisis, and current geopolitics is not an alibi.”

This is an excerpt from an article by Benjamin Weinthal of Fox News.