France is preparing to expel two Iranian diplomats in response to Iran's detention of two French officials in Tehran last month, citing it as part of a security investigation.
On Tuesday, 18 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Jean-Noël Barrot, France's Foreign Minister, revealed that France will expel two Iranian diplomats within the next few days following the "assault and harassment" of two French diplomats in Tehran last month.
Barrot posted on the platform X that the Iranian people are the main victims of rising tensions in the Middle East, stemming from bloody suppression of protests in January and ongoing airstrikes in the US-Iran conflict.
“Because France stands with the Iranian people by supporting Iranian artists, scientists, and researchers, two French diplomats were brutally and deliberately attacked on 19 July,” Barrot stated. He added, “Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days.”
The conflict originated from an incident in July when two French embassy officials in Tehran were held for several hours by Iranian security forces. Barrot then described the act as a severe intimidation and a violation of diplomatic immunity and protection.
Iran's Ministry of Intelligence said last weekend that the two French diplomats were temporarily detained during a national security investigation into allegations of foreign interference, before being returned to the French ambassador.
On Monday, Iranian authorities announced they would not allow the two detained French officials to return to Iran.
.cnn