France says two diplomats detained by Iranian security forces

Two French embassy officials in Tehran were detained and questioned for several hours by Iranian security services, with one of them physically assaulted, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said.

The diplomats were held without explanation before being allowed to return to the embassy, Barrot said, describing the incident as an “extremely serious and unacceptable” violation of diplomatic immunity. He said he had warned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that the incident would have consequences. 

Barrot said the two officials oversee French programmes supporting Iranian civil society, including artists and scientists. He added that both diplomats were safe and expected to return to France within hours.