Two French diplomats subjected to ‘extremely serious act of intimidation’ in Iran, FM Barrot says
Two French diplomats were detained in Iran on Sunday evening in flagrant violation of diplomatic immunity. One was physically abused, and France vows consequences.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has stated that two French diplomats were targeted by Iranian officials late on Sunday in “flagrant violation of diplomatic immunity”. Both were detained for several hours without reason, interrogated, and one of them was physically abused before they could return to the embassy. They are now safe and expected to return to France within hours.
Barrot emphasized that the assault is particularly shocking as these two officials oversee programs supporting civil society, especially Iranian artists and scientists. He warned his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that the “serious and unacceptable” incident “cannot go without consequences”. Last week, Barrot reiterated that European sanctions on Iran will not be lifted unless Tehran abandons its nuclear programme and what Paris calls its destabilising activities in the region.
