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Iran accuses France of 'meddling' as ties strain over unrest   

In a tense exchange, Iran's top diplomat has accused Paris of being intentionally confrontational while his French counterpart piled pressure on Iran over the detention of French nationals.   
Eiffel Tower

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Wednesday that France was meddling in his country's affairs and taking a confrontational approach toward the Islamic Republic as tensions between the two sides worsen.

In a phone call with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna, the Iranian minister warned that Tehran's response will be "immediate and effective," according to a report by the government-run IRNA news agency. Amir-Abdollahian claimed that Paris was "instigating riots" in Iran, using the state's verbiage for the ongoing anti-government protests in the country that were sparked in mid-September by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of hijab-enforcing police. 

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