Iranian authorities have shut down a French language centre linked to the French embassy in Tehran, escalating tensions between the two countries ahead of a planned meeting between their foreign ministers.The centre was sealed following a judicial order, Tehran’s prosecutor’s office said on Sunday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.Iranian authorities accused the centre of operating for years without the required licence and said it had gone beyond language teaching.They alleged that it was involved in activities they considered harmful to Iranian culture and national security, including identifying and building networks and helping skilled Iranians leave the country.
Tehran cites security concerns
Iran has previously accused French institutions and officials of interfering in its internal affairs. France has rejected such allegations and said there had been a pattern of intimidation in recent months as Paris increased its support for and contacts with Iranian civil society following a crackdown on protests earlier this year.The latest dispute was also fuelled by a social media post by French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, whose death in custody in 2022 triggered nationwide protests in Iran.Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi responded on Friday by calling Barrot’s post “crocodile tears”. He also accused France of killing 1.5 million Algerians during Algeria’s war of independence.“Your silence when the US massacred our schoolkids said it all,” he said, referring to a strike in Iran that Tehran believes the US was responsible for.Araqchi and Barrot are due to meet on Tuesday on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.
France calls closure ‘unacceptable’
France said it would summon Iran’s ambassador and take what it described as appropriate measures over the closure.“This new attack against France’s cultural presence in Iran, following the assault on two staff members of the French embassy last July, is unjustifiable and unacceptable,” French foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said in a statement.The latest dispute comes against a backdrop of strained relations between Paris and Tehran, with disagreements over Iran’s nuclear programme and the detention of French citizens by Iran.Relations had shown some signs of improvement after several French nationals were released and Paris distanced itself from the US war against Iran. However, tensions increased again after Iran arrested two French diplomats over the summer and later expelled them. France responded by expelling Iranian diplomats.
