EU condemns Iran's detention of French diplomats

The European Union condemned what it described as the "aggression" against two diplomats from the French Embassy in Tehran, allegedly by Iranian security forces, saying the incident was a violation of international diplomatic norms.

In a statement issued on behalf of the EU, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc "unequivocally condemns" the incident.

"Such acts constitute a blatant violation of the Vienna Conventions and jeopardise the very conduct of diplomatic relations," Kallas said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said  that two French diplomats who were "attacked" in Iran had returned to Paris following an "extremely serious" and "premeditated" incident.

Barrot said the diplomats were "brutally arrested in a private place" by Iranian security officers and detained for nearly four hours without access to communication devices or contact with the French Embassy.

Iran, meanwhile, rejected the accusations and summoned the French ambassador for what it called interference by French diplomats in the country's internal affairs.