France will summon IranâÂÂs ambassador and take âÂÂappropriate measuresâ after Iranian authorities closed a French-language centre linked to its embassy in Tehran, according to the French Foreign Ministry.
âÂÂThis new attack against FranceâÂÂs cultural presence in Iran, following the assault on two staff members of the French embassy last July, is unjustifiable and unacceptable,â Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said in a statement on Sunday.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Lebanon security talks in Paris to focus on post-UNIFIL alternatives
- list 2 of 4Macron and Aoun discuss efforts to back LebanonâÂÂs army, end Israeli attacks
- list 3 of 4Russia seizes assets of French firms, summons UK envoy over Ukraine support
- list 4 of 4FranceâÂÂs Macron and CanadaâÂÂs Carney announce plans to build stronger ties
Iran announced on Sunday the closure of the centre it accused of conducting âÂÂillegal acts that violated diplomatic conventionsâÂÂ.
âÂÂBased on the Tehran prosecutorâÂÂs office, the illegal centre affiliated with the French embassy in Tehran, which has operated for years under the guise of language instruction, was closed,â the Iranian judiciaryâÂÂs Mizan news website said, referring to the French Language Centre (CLF).
It said the centre âÂÂabused its status as a language training facilityâ and sought to âÂÂidentify and build networks among the countryâÂÂs elite figures while facilitating their departureâÂÂ.
The French Foreign Ministry said it would âÂÂtake appropriate measures to respondâ and would summon IranâÂÂs ambassador in Paris at the request of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Relations between Tehran and Paris have been strained in recent months.
In August, IranâÂÂs Intelligence Ministry said it detained two French diplomats over alleged foreign interference during a national security investigation before handing them over to the French ambassador.