French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that he will expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days in retaliation for the assault on two French representatives that occurred in Iran on 19 July. Barrot declared that the diplomats have been declared persona non grata and must leave France.
"Two French diplomats were assaulted in a scandalous and deliberate manner on 19 July. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. It is done. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days," Barrot stated in a message on X.
According to Barrot's report from approximately a month ago, two French diplomats were detained for several hours by Iranian security forces, and one of them was subjected to harassment. The minister described the incident as an "extremely serious act of intimidation" that violated diplomatic immunity.
The French Foreign Ministry accused Iran of having neither investigated the assault nor sanctioned those responsible, and noted that false accusations were made against the two members of the French embassy staff. The ministry reported that the decision has been notified to Iran's ambassador, who was summoned to the Quai d'Orsay.
Iran denied the assault. According to Iran's version, the French diplomats were briefly interrogated after attending a meeting with people sought by the authorities. After a brief stay in France, Iran banned the two diplomats from returning to the country.
