PARIS, August 19 – France has decided to expel two Iranian diplomats in retaliation for the detention of two French diplomats in Iran, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Wednesday.
Move Comes After Iran Detained Two French Diplomats Accused of Interfering in Domestic Affairs
In a post on X, Barrot said Iran had carried out what he described as an “unacceptable” action against two French diplomats in Tehran, one of whom serves as a cultural attaché.
“I had warned that this unacceptable behaviour would have consequences,” Barrot said, announcing France’s decision to expel two Iranian diplomats. He added that the measure would be implemented shortly.
The dispute follows the detention of two French diplomats and two Iranian artists on July 19. The diplomats had reportedly met the artists, Aria Kasaei and Ellie Naghilou, in mid-July over a cultural project.
Iranian security authorities detained and questioned the four people, accusing the French diplomats of interfering in Iran’s internal affairs under the guise of engagement with civil society.
The two French diplomats were later released and returned to France, but Iran subsequently barred them from re-entering the country. The current whereabouts and fate of the two Iranian artists remain unclear.
The diplomatic dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny of civilians by Iran’s Islamic Republic government following the outbreak of war with the United States on February 28.
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