Tehran: Irans foreign ministry announced on Monday that it had summoned the French ambassador to Tehran in response to the actions of two French diplomats who were briefly detained earlier this month. "Yesterday, the French ambassador in Tehran was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where it was stressed that the French government must cease such actions and such interference in Irans internal affairs under misleading labels," said the ministry's spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing.

According to France24.com, the diplomats were accused of "interfering in Irans internal affairs under the pretext of engaging with civil society," which the Iranian foreign ministry claims contravenes the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The incident involving the French diplomats has heightened tensions between the two nations, with Iran asserting that such actions are unjustified under international diplomatic norms.

On July 20, French Foreign Minister Jean-No«l Barrot condemned the treatment of the diplomats, stating they were subjected to "an extremely serious act of intimidation" by Iranian security services. Both diplomats were reportedly detained without justification, interrogated, and one was allegedly physically abused before being allowed to return to the embassy. The incident has led to a diplomatic standoff, with France expressing strong disapproval of Iran's handling of the situation.