France 'in multiple contacts' to avert Mideast escalation: Ministry

France is engaged in "multiple contacts" aimed at averting an escalation of hostilities on Lebanon's southern border between the Shiite movement Hezbollah and the Israeli army, the French foreign ministry said Sunday.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri earlier Sunday accused France and the United States of "intervening" in the tensions, adding that French President Emmanuel Macron had spoken by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani "in recent days".

"France has engaged in multiple contacts in the region since the incidents of August 25 with the aim of averting an escalation," the foreign ministry spokeswoman said in a statement.

"We are in permanent contact with all the Lebanese actors," she said. "France will pursue efforts in this direction and asks all to assume their responsibilities to quickly restore calm."