Iran rejects French claims of harassment, violence against embassy staff

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected as “unfounded and false” remarks by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot alleging intimidation and violence against employees of the French embassy in Tehran.

Commenting on the issue, Mohammad Tanhaei, Director of the Second Western Europe Division at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said two French nationals had been questioned by law enforcement after communicating with several individuals accused of crimes against national security, Caliber.Az reports via Iranian media.

Tanhaei also claimed that documents indicating activities allegedly directed against Iran’s national security had been found in their possession.

The Iranian official added that after their diplomatic status was established, the two individuals were taken to the diplomatic police headquarters and later handed over to the French embassy.

This exchange followed an earlier incident in which Barrot described the detention and interrogation of two French diplomats in Tehran as an “extremely serious act of intimidation” by Iranian security services, with one reportedly physically abused in violation of diplomatic immunity.

The diplomats, who oversaw French programs supporting Iranian civil society including artists and scientists, were held for several hours before returning to the embassy.

The French foreign minister stated that they were safe and expected to return to France soon, while warning his Iranian counterpart that the incident would not go without consequences.

By Jeyhun Aghazada