Iran shuts language center affiliated with French embassy in Tehran

Iranian authorities have closed a French language center affiliated with the French embassy in Tehran. The judiciary accused the center of conducting illegal acts that violated diplomatic conventions. According to Mizan news website, the center, which operated under the guise of language instruction, abused its status and sought to identify and build networks among the country's elite figures while facilitating their departure.

Relations between Tehran and Paris have been strained in recent months. Last month, France announced the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats in response to the brief arrest and banning of two French envoys to the Islamic republic. Tehran had accused the two French diplomats of interference in Iran's internal affairs.

The closure of the language center was announced by the Tehran prosecutor's office, but there was no immediate comment from the French embassy.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, Middle East Eye, Free Malaysia Today — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.