New diplomatic tensions have arisen between Paris and Tehran. France has announced it has summoned the Iranian ambassador after Iranian authorities closed the French Language Center in Tehran, an institution affiliated with the French embassy. The French Foreign Ministry condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the intervention of Iranian security forces at the center.
Iranian authorities claim to have acted on a court order and accuse the center of operating without the necessary permits. According to accusations reported by the Iranian news agency Tasnim, the center also allegedly carried out activities deemed contrary to the country's cultural and security interests. Paris disputes the closure and does not endorse these accusations.
Barrot promises a French response
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes this closure as a further attack on French cultural activities in Iran. It notes that the closure comes after the assault on two French embassy staff members in July and estimates that several thousand Iranians who attend the center's courses each year will be directly affected.
At the request of Jean-Noël Barrot , the Iranian ambassador is to be summoned to the Quai d'Orsay. France also affirms that it will take "appropriate measures" in response to the Iranian decision, without specifying their nature at this time.
