Iran summons French charge d’affaires over Foreign Minister Barrot's anti-Iran allegations

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has summoned France’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran to lodge a formal protest over what it described as “offensive and baseless allegations” made by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot against the Islamic Republic.

The summons followed remarks by the French official that Tehran views as interference in its internal affairs, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

During the meeting, Mohammad Tanhaei, Director of the Second Western Europe Division at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, strongly condemned the French minister’s comments, calling them “irresponsible, provocative, and a blatant violation of diplomatic norms.”

Tanhaei demanded an official explanation from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the statements in question and criticised the French government for allegedly exploiting a cultural event — reportedly a film festival — as a platform to promote political agendas against Iran.

He further accused France of double standards, saying that a government which “actively supports the Zionist regime and its ongoing, flagrant violations of human rights and international humanitarian law — particularly regarding the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination — lacks the moral standing to lecture others on human rights.”

By Khagan Isayev