France summons Iranian ambassador over 'disinformation' on student protests

France summoned ​Iran's ambassador on Wednesday ​over what foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux described as an ​Iranian ‌"disinformation campaign" targeting ⁠France's student ‌protest movement.

The ambassador was told "the misleading content disseminated online" by official accounts of the Iranian foreign ministry was "absolutely unacceptable", Confavreux said in a statement, a day after Tehran summoned French Ambassador Pierre Cochard over the treatment of protesters.

"These undignified provocations must cease," ​Confavreux said.

Iran criticised France's "violent treatment" of the protesters and "extensive and flagrant human rights violations" during the demonstrations, which intensified last week and have seen clashes between demonstrators and the security forces.

The French foreign ministry called the summoning of its ambassador "baseless".

Rights groups including Amnesty International have accused French authorities of using disproportionate force against protesters, with police firing tear gas and blast balls and using batons to control crowds.

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Tit for tat response?

Iran's response to the events in France came after Tehran has faced international condemnation, including from France, for its own crackdown on protesters in recent years, including after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2023.

Iranian security forces used deadly force at the start of the year to crack down on anti-government protests that peaked on January 8-9. 

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Norway-based rights group Iran Human Rights says it has identified 4,219 people killed during the protests – almost all on January 8-9 – but has warned the toll is likely far higher. 

Rights groups have said thousands were killed and organisations, including Amnesty, have accused Iranian security forces of directly firing on protesters. Amnesty has described the Iran crackdown as the "unprecedented massacres of thousands of protesters and bystanders". 

Iran says the protests are "riots" and has emphasised the deaths of members of the security forces.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)