ALBAWABA - Iranian police have arrested two French diplomats in a national security operation, sources said, adding they were caught at the scene of a “secret meeting” tied to a suspected foreign influence network.
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said in a statement that intelligence operatives detained the diplomats while carrying out a judicial order against two suspects being probed for alleged foreign meddling. The diplomats were checked in before being turned over to French Ambassador Pierre Cochard, who was working with Iran’s diplomatic police, officials said.
Documents and materials recovered at the site indicated a wider campaign to spread foreign influence within Iran and create the environment for operations that could threaten the country’s sovereignty, the ministry said.
Iranian officials also said some of the documents retrieved contained the signature of a former French ambassador to Tehran, tho they gave no further evidence to back that assertion.
Tehran warned that foreign officials would not be protected by diplomatic immunity if they were involved in what it defined as illegitimate or interventionist operations. They also urged the French government to accept responsibility for the conduct of its diplomats and said the probe was continuing and further details could be disclosed later.
France has yet to respond officially to the fresh charges.
The incident came weeks after a diplomatic spat between the nations. In July, France said Iranian security forces had harassed two of its diplomats in Iran, including one who was physically attacked. Tehran denied the allegations, saying the diplomats had been questioned after going to a meeting with people connected to national security cases, and later summoned the French ambassador over what it called French involvement in Iran's internal affairs.
