TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei has called on France to respect human rights and the right to peaceful protest, criticizing ‘contradictory approaches by French officials toward demonstrations in Iran and France.’
In a post on his X account on Tuesday, Baqaei recalled that France had called on Iran in January 2026 to guarantee the right to peaceful protest without fear of reprisals and had urged restraint in dealing with demonstrations.
He noted that, despite calls for revolt from abroad and reports of armed attacks against facilities and security forces in Iran, France’s foreign minister had characterized the unrest at the time as a peaceful revolt.
Baqaei contrasted that position with the French government’s current response to protests by high school students, saying demonstrations in France were now being described as “urban violence.” He also pointed to the French interior minister’s calls for rapid intervention and the use of force to restore public order.
The Iranian spokesman noted that French officials had also cited political manipulation and the role of far-left movements in the protests.
Baqaei stressed that violence against police, arson and damage to public property could not be justified and acknowledged the state’s responsibility to maintain and restore public order.
He argued, however, that the central issue was the differing standards applied to protests depending on where they take place.
The Iranian spokesman questioned why similar conduct was assessed differently when the protesters were in Iran rather than France, emphasizing that the right to peaceful protest and respect for human rights should be upheld consistently.
“If human rights and the right to protest are universal principles, their definition should not change based on the geographical location of the protester,” Baqaei’s remarks underscored.
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