Iran bars two French embassy staff over alleged Vienna Convention breach

Iran announced Monday that two French embassy employees involved in a diplomatic dispute last month will not be permitted to re-enter Tehran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the individuals had contravened the Vienna Convention by engaging in activities aimed at supporting Iranian civil society.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei asserted that the insistence on these activities being related to civil society itself constituted an admission of violating the Vienna Convention. He did not provide further details on the nature of these alleged activities during a weekly press conference.

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Insisting that these individuals were engaged in activities related to supporting civil society is itself an admission that the Vienna Convention was violated.

Tehran has historically shown sensitivity to perceived Western interference in its internal affairs, particularly since late February when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran amidst an ongoing conflict. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot had previously stated that the employees' mission involved developing programs to support Iranian civil society, students, and artists. He noted France's significant efforts in supporting Iranian civil society.

France had summoned Iran's charge d'affaires on July 21, following accusations that Iranian security forces had detained and physically intimidated French embassy staff in Tehran. The incident highlights the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

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develop programs supporting Iranian civil society, students, and artists (...) France is one of the countries in the world that does the most for Iranian civil society, and we have paid the price for it.