French Foreign Ministry officials summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires on Tuesday, two days after it said French embassy staff were briefly detained and physically intimidated by Iranian security services in Tehran.
At the request of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, the ministry's secretary general conveyed France's “strongest condemnation of this premeditated and deliberate aggression”, a representative at the ministry said in a statement.
“France expects the Iranian authorities to shed light on this incident, punish the perpetrators, and ensure the security of its premises and personnel, in accordance with their international obligations,” the representative said.
The charge d'affaires attended the meeting instead of the Iranian ambassador to France, Mohammad Amin Nejad, because he was out of the country, The National understands.
Two French embassy staff in Tehran were detained “for no reason for several hours” on Sunday night, and one of them was physically assaulted, Mr Barrot revealed on X on Monday. They were both able to return to the French embassy before flying back to France.
'Shocking' incident
French-Iranian relations are tense since France led a push to reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme last year, but such diplomatic incidents are rare.
Mr Barrot said the incident was a “flagrant violation of the diplomatic immunities” of embassy staff. He did not share more details on the circumstances of their detention.
“This attack is all the more shocking given that these two agents spearhead our support programmes for civil society – and specifically for Iranian artists and scientists,” Mr Barrot said. “I have informed the Iranian Foreign Minister that this extremely serious and unacceptable violation of the integrity of our agents cannot go without consequences.”
France is not involved in the continuing US-Iran conflict but has sent military assets to protect Gulf states that have come under Iranian attack. It has also led efforts with the UK to prepare to deploy an international defensive maritime mission in the Strait of Hormuz, particularly for demining operations, when conditions allow.
Speaking earlier this month, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi described these preparations as “provocative” and said France should stay out of the region. French officials have downplayed Iran's response, telling The National they were not seeking to enter into a power struggle with Iran.
