Iran calls France's decision to expel two Iranian diplomats 'illegal'

Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that France's decision to expel two Iranian diplomats in response to Tehran's ban on two French diplomats was "illegal". 

"The action that France took is an illegal action in response to Iran's legal action, and is in no way helpful to bilateral relations," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a weekly press conference.

Read more France to expel two Iranian diplomats as arrests row heightens

Last week, Baqaei said two French diplomats who were briefly arrested in Iran in July over "interference" in Iran's internal affairs "would not be permitted to return". 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot responded by saying that two Iranian diplomats in France would be expelled "in the coming days".

Barrot said the French move was a consequence of "intolerable" treatment of the French diplomats, who were briefly detained last month in Tehran. 

Read more Two French diplomats subjected to 'extremely serious act of intimidation' in Iran, FM Barrot says

He said the pair had been targeted by Iranian officials "in flagrant violation of diplomatic immunity". 

They had also suffered "an extremely serious act of intimidation" at the hands of Iran's security service, he added. 

Baqaei had previously said Paris should apologise for the actions of the French diplomats, which he said had violated the Vienna Convention.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)