Iran Accuses French Diplomats of Secret Activity in Tehran

TEHRAN, Aug 15: Iran’s Intelligence Ministry has accused two French diplomats previously detained in Tehran of engaging in covert contacts with Iranians, saying documents seized during the case indicated an effort to build a network inside and outside the country. The ministry said security forces encountered the diplomats during a judicial operation and later transferred them to French representatives through Iran’s diplomatic police. It alleged that documents found at the site showed efforts to identify individuals, establish secret contacts and develop a network, with some documents reportedly bearing the signature of a former French ambassador to Iran.

Tehran called on Paris to explain what it described as “illegal and interventionist” activity and warned that Iran would respond to any repeat of such conduct. France has said the diplomats were detained for nearly four hours, prevented from contacting their embassy and that one was physically assaulted, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot describing the incident as a serious violation of diplomatic immunity. Iran denied that the diplomats were beaten. France said the two were working on programs supporting Iranian civil society, including artists and scientists, and they later returned to France.