France, March 3 -- "We are preparing to charter flights so that the most vulnerable people, those who deserve to be accompanied, can benefit from them if necessary," Barrot told Frenchbroadcaster BFMTV.

Around 400,000 French nationals are estimated to live in countries in the Arabian Gulf affected by the conflict since Saturday's strikes, which killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several of the country's top military commanders.

Barrot said no French citizens have been killed or hurt so far in the conflict. He also said France was not informed in advance of the Israeli and US strikes and did not take part in the military operations.

"We have set up consular teams at the borders between Israel and Egypt and Jordan to...