France–Iran dispute escalates as embassy staff evacuated

France has evacuated personnel from its embassy in Tehran following a diplomatic confrontation with Iran triggered by the detention of French diplomats, French authorities said.

The dispute escalated after Paris reported that two of its diplomats in Iran had their phones confiscated, were prevented from contacting the embassy, and were subjected to verbal threats, actions it said violated international conventions. Sources also indicated that one of the embassy’s cultural attachés was physically attacked.

On July 21, France’s Foreign Ministry summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Paris, demanding explanations, accountability for those responsible, and guarantees for the safety of its diplomatic staff.

Iran rejected the allegations a day later. On July 22, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the two French diplomats had not been subjected to ill-treatment or threats by the country’s security forces.

By Tamilla Hasanova