TEHRAN (Dunya News) - Iran has summoned France's ambassador to Tehran to lodge a strong protest over what it described as French interference in its internal affairs.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the ambassador was summoned over the activities of two French diplomats stationed in Tehran.
During the meeting, Iranian officials urged the French government to immediately cease what they called interference in Iran's domestic affairs under "misleading pretexts."
Baghaei alleged that the two French diplomats were using contacts with civil society as a cover to interfere in Iran's internal affairs.
He further claimed that their activities were not permissible under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The development follows an incident on 20 July, when Iranian security forces detained the two French diplomats and questioned them for several hours before allowing them to return to the French embassy.
One of the diplomats later alleged that he was subjected to physical mistreatment while in custody.
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the incident, describing it as an "extremely serious" act of intimidation.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Iran is already participating in the war against Ukraine by supplying weapons to Russia, warning that vigilance is essential against any potential new threats.
In an interview, Zelensky was asked whether Iran could launch a direct attack on Ukraine following the recent attack involving an Iranian aircraft.
Responding to the question, he said Ukraine must remain cautious and do everything possible to prevent the opening of another front in the conflict.
Zelensky accused Iran of actively supporting Russia's war effort from the outset of the conflict.