Iran’s Foreign Ministry building in the capital Tehran
Iran has summoned the French ambassador to Tehran over comments made by the country’s foreign minister in the National Assembly against the Islamic Republic.
Nicolas Roche was summoned on Wednesday to Iran’s Foreign Ministry over what Tehran calls “unacceptable” remarks by Catherine Colonna which led to approval of a resolution in the assembly on human rights in Iran.
Iran says, “the instrumental and dual use of human rights by France and some other European countries causes great regret to the Islamic Republic Iran.”
Tehran also said these countries “lack the legitimacy to raise such human rights claims.”
On Monday, the French National Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution offering "support for the Iranian people" and condemning the restriction of women's freedoms and rights. This comes ahead of another meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss new sanctions over Iran’s crackdown on protesters.
President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party deputy Hadrien Ghomi, himself a descendant of Iranian immigrants, said the 149 votes in favor of the motion in the National Assembly "sent a strong message" to the world. The resolution condemns in the "strongest terms the brutal and widespread repression" against "non-violent demonstrators".
Foreign minister Colonna said the situation "requires action, with responsibility", adding that after two packages of sanctions already imposed at a European level, new sanctions are being prepared for the next Council of Foreign Ministers on 12 December.
Iran constantly accuses the West of double standards and meddling in its domestic affairs but continues to use deadly violence against protesters.