Jean-Noël Barrault

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault said the U.S.

and Israel's unilateral bombing campaign should have been debated in the United Nations, as imperfect as the institution is.

Only through debate in the Security Council can the use of force be given a stamp of legitimacy, he said.

At the same time, Barrault evoked Iran's responsibility and condemned its decades-long sowing of destruction and chaos in the region,

and its assault against its own citizens.

Barreau also said France is ready to defend its Gulf allies who are being indiscriminately attacked by Iran.

There are some 400,000 French nationals living in the Middle East.

Eleanor Beardsley in Pierre News, Paris.