Iranian authorities have closed a French language and cultural centre in Tehran, accusing the institution of using its educational activities as a cover for operations that
allegedly violated diplomatic rules.
The French Language Centre (CLF), which is linked to the French embassy, was shut down on Sunday following an order from Tehran's prosecutor's office, according to Iran's judiciary.
The judiciary's Mizan news agency described the centre as an institution that had operated for years under the cover of providing language instruction. Iranian authorities alleged that it had engaged in activities that breached diplomatic conventions and exceeded the scope of its official function.
Iranian officials also accused the centre of exploiting its status as a language school to establish contacts with prominent figures in Iranian society. Authorities claimed that the institution had attempted to identify and develop networks among members of the country's elite and had helped facilitate their departure from Iran.
No evidence supporting those allegations was made public in the announcement.
Paris condemns closure
France strongly rejected the Iranian action, describing it as another hostile move against its cultural and diplomatic presence in the country.
French Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux said the closure was "unjustifiable and unacceptable", particularly following an incident in July in which two members of the French embassy staff were reportedly assaulted.
Paris said it would take "appropriate measures" in response. The French Foreign Ministry is also expected to summon Iran's ambassador following a request from Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
The closure marks another deterioration in relations between Tehran and Paris, which have become increasingly strained in recent months.
Diplomatic tensions deepen
The latest dispute follows a series of retaliatory measures involving diplomats from both countries.
In August, France expelled two Iranian diplomats after two French envoys to Iran were briefly detained and subsequently banned from the Islamic Republic. Tehran condemned the French decision as illegal and accused the French diplomats of interfering in Iran's internal affairs.
The closure of the language centre now adds a cultural dimension to the dispute, putting one of the institutions traditionally used to maintain people-to-people and educational links between France and Iran at the centre of the diplomatic confrontation.
The latest developments suggest that tensions between the two governments are increasingly affecting not only diplomatic personnel but also France's wider cultural and educational activities in Iran. Photo by Apcbg, Wikimedia commons.