The French Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's envoy this week over the country's human rights record, with three sources familiar with the matter saying there were concerns about what Paris called a "serious and permanent violation".
France rarely comments on human rights in
Iran, but on September 22, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that after
the anti-government protests in November 2019, human rights abuses in Iran
escalated. More work needs to be done.
When asked if France, along with Britain
and Germany, had worked collectively to warn Iran about its treatment of
political prisoners and dual nationals in the country, the ministry said: A
foreign official supported the question.
"French authorities regularly express
their concerns about serious and persistent human rights violations in
Iran," said spokesman Agnes van der Mahal.
"These concerns have been shared by
many partners, including Germany and the United Kingdom."
A source said the three European powers
worked together and warned Iran that its actions were damaging relations. The
ambassador was summoned’ on Thursday, two sources said.
The British Guardian newspaper reported on
Wednesday that the relevant ambassadors of the three countries have been
specially summoned’ over the treatment of political prisoners in Tehran and the
detention of dual nationals.
Iranian-French student Fariba Adelkhah is serving a six-year prison sentence on
security charges. Le Drian said he was being held’ for political reasons and
that the allegations were baseless.
The move by the three Europeans, known as
E3 comes as they try to keep the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran alive, as it
seeks to increase pressure on Tehran and end the deal. Competed
Washington on Thursday blacklisted several
Iranian officials and institutions for alleged serious human rights abuses. The
European Union has not imposed sanctions on Iran since 2013.
Without naming E3, Iranian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement in response to the
Guardian's article that some European powers were interfering in the country's
internal affairs.
"Iran believes that the politically
motivated actions and selective actions of the United States and some European
governments have always been a major blow to the principle of human
rights," he said.
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