France to expel Iranian diplomats over 'deliberate assault' on envoys

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday that Paris would expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days, branding the move a direct response to the alleged assault on French embassy personnel in Tehran last month. The decision follows the July 19 detention of two French diplomats by Iranian authorities.

Writing on the social media platform X, Barrot stated that the expulsion would proceed shortly. "Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days," he said, referring to the incident in which two French envoys were "scandalously and deliberately assaulted" on July 19. He added that he had previously warned the "intolerable act" would carry consequences.

Tehran's accusations

Iranian authorities detained the French diplomats on July 19, with Paris alleging the pair were "brutally arrested" while conducting activities under the cover of their diplomatic mission. Tehran argued the actions were not justified under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, subsequently accusing the diplomats of involvement in a "foreign influence and interference" plot targeting the country’s "independence."

The European Union joined France in condemning the detentions, with Brussels expressing solidarity with Paris over the treatment of the embassy staff. The incident marks a fresh deterioration in bilateral relations already strained by ongoing tensions over Iran's regional activities and nuclear program.