France says Iranian officers detained two of its diplomats, ‘physically abused’ one

France reported that two of its diplomats in Iran were detained and interrogated by Iranian security services on Sunday night, with one diplomat reportedly "physically abused." Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated this was "an extremely serious act of intimidation" and a "flagrant violation of diplomatic immunity." The diplomats, who oversee programs supporting Iranian artists and scientists, were released after several hours and are expected to return to France. Barrot informed his Iranian counterpart that this "serious and unacceptable" incident "cannot go without consequences." This event occurs amid already strained relations, with France recently supporting the inclusion of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the EU's terrorist list and maintaining that European sanctions will remain until Iran abandons its nuclear program.