Tehran Rejects Report Paris Advised Diplomats against Visiting Iran

In a Wednesday statement, Qassemi stressed that he has not seen any reliable source linked with the French government saying anything about such a claim.

“I basically see no necessity and reason for such a decision by the French Foreign Ministry,” Qassemi said.

“But I know relations between Iran and Europe, particularly Iran and France, have enemies, and ill-wishers make psychological moves to negatively affect relations,” he noted, adding that one should be vigilant regarding these efforts.

“On the other hand, it is within the area of responsibility of governments to allow or not allow their diplomats to go on diplomatic missions,” Qassemi said, stressing that the release of such reports at this juncture seems suspicious.

Reuters reported Tuesday that France has told its diplomats and foreign ministry officials to postpone indefinitely all non-essential travel to Iran, citing a foiled bomb plot and a hardening of Tehran’s attitude towards France.

The report claimed its source is an internal memo. Reuters did not elaborate how it has managed to get its hands on classified French documents.

The memo cited what Reuters described as “a foiled plot to bomb a rally held by an exiled Iranian opposition group near Paris.”

The report was referring to allegations that an Iranian diplomat has paid two Iranian-born people, who have been identified as MKO members, to bomb the terrorist group’s meeting at Paris held last month.

Iran has rejected the allegation.