Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned a senior French diplomat on Wednesday to protest at "extreme remarks" by France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. Kouchner last month sparked controversy by saying the world should prepare for a war with Iran over its nuclear works.
According to Reuters, on Tuesday he said the situation in Iran was dangerous and that a nuclear-armed Iran would make the Middle East situation even more complicated. The official IRNA news agency referred to Kouchner's war comment and also said he had accused Iran of trying to obtain a nuclear bomb in some "unrealistic and irresponsible remarks."
IRNA said the Foreign Ministry lodged Wednesday's protest after "provocative and unrealistic comments by French political officials, especially the extreme remarks by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner." "France's charge d'affaires in Tehran, in the absence of that country's ambassador, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday morning," IRNA said.
"The head of the Foreign Ministry's second department for western Europe protested at recent comments by the French foreign minister," the report said.
