French Interference in Iran’s Internal Affairs Unacceptable: FM
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian denounced France’s interference in the domestic affairs of Iran, saying he has reminded his French counterpart of the need for Paris to reconsider its positions.
Amirabdollahian made the remarks in a post on his Twitter account on Wednesday, following a meeting with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna on the sidelines of the Baghdad Conference in Jordan.
The top Iranian diplomat said the reconsideration of France’s position was discussed during the talks.
“Agreed that the path of dialog and diplomacy is preferable,” he wrote. “The Islamic Republic of Iran stands strong and firm.”
Iran and France have been engaged in a diplomatic row over Paris’ meddlesome stance on a series of violent riots in the Islamic Republic.
The French National Assembly passed a resolution on November 28, condemning what it termed a “crackdown on non-violent demonstrators.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry conveyed its strong protest to the French ambassador in Tehran over the adoption of the “interventionist” anti-Iran resolution at the time, saying the Islamic Republic of Iran regrets that France and some European countries are using the issue of human rights as a tool to pressure the Islamic Republic.
French President Emmanuel Macron even hosted an Iranian-American journalist being paid in Washington on a mission to fuel violence in Iran.
Deadly riots broke out in Iran in mid-September after the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini.
Amini fainted at a police station in Tehran and was pronounced dead three days later in hospital. An official report by Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization concluded that Amini’s death was caused by illness rather than alleged blows to the head or other vital body organs.
Rioters went on a rampage, attacking security officers and causing damage to public and private property as Western powers provided support, Press TV reported.
The European Union and some Western countries imposed sanctions on Iran over its approach toward the riots. Iran, in turn, announced retaliatory sanctions against institutions and individuals in the European Union due to their deliberate actions in support of terrorism and terrorist groups during the riots.