Tehran, August 16: Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence has issued a warning to the French government regarding “illegal interference” in Iran’s internal matters.
In a statement posted on its website, the ministry revealed that two French diplomats participated in a secret meeting in Tehran in July with suspects linked to a significant case of foreign intrusion and interference.
Following an investigation, the ministry stated that these diplomats violated Iran’s domestic laws and their diplomatic responsibilities, noting a long history of such conduct.
The ministry emphasized that it will not permit foreign diplomats to engage in “illegal interference” activities in Iran. It also warned that appropriate action would be taken if such behavior recurs, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency.
On July 20, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reported that two officials from the French embassy were detained and mistreated in Tehran. He stated that they were held for several hours without cause, interrogated, and one of them experienced physical abuse before returning to the embassy.
Barrot confirmed that the officials are now safe and are expected to return to France shortly. He described the incident as shocking, particularly since these officials oversee programs supporting civil society, including Iranian artists and scientists.
In a statement, he labeled the event as “alarming” and warned Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that there would be consequences for this “serious and unacceptable” incident.
Later, Zarif expressed his objections in a phone conversation with Barrot, stating that the unusual actions of the French diplomats were against diplomatic norms and unacceptable.
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