Reuters: Iran denied on Wednesday that its security men used violence against French embassy staff in Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman told state television.
TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran denied on Wednesday that its security men used violence against French embassy staff in Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman told state television.
France said on Tuesday some of its embassy staff in Tehran were subjected to “unacceptable acts of violence” by unidentified security service staff who hindered embassy access for guests of the French ambassador on November 14. It said the Iranian ambassador to Paris had been summoned over the incident.
“No violence has been used against the (French) embassy staff in Tehran … Iran’s Diplomatic Police had cautioned the embassy over the presence of some of the people attending the event,” Ramin Mehmanparast told Iran’s English language PressTV. “The issue has been resolved.”
A diplomatic source in Paris said that a high-ranking French diplomat was struck during the incident, which took place during an evening cultural event to which France’s ambassador had invited Iranian guests, many of them young people.
The incident could add to strains at a time when Europe is trying to bring Iran back to talks over its disputed nuclear program and is also campaigning to save a woman sentenced to die in Iran.
Tehran has been hit by international sanctions for refusing to suspend its uranium enrichment activities as demanded by the U.N. Security Council.
(Writing by Mitra Amiri, Editing by Samia Nakhouk)
