ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iran on Wednesday denied as “baseless and false” detention and assault allegations against two officials from France's embassy in Tehran, claiming that they were involved in a meeting with “security suspects.” 

On Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that two officials from France's embassy in Tehran were detained by Iranian security forces "without reason" for several hours and interrogated, claiming that one was "assaulted." 

Paris described the incident as an "extremely serious" act of intimidation by Tehran.

“Two French people participated in a meeting with several security suspects on Sunday evening,” Mohammad Tanayi, a senior official from the foreign ministry, said in a statement. 

The French officials were questioned by security forces “for a short time,” he added, noting that “numerous anti-security activities” were recorded at their location, which the relevant authorities are investigating.

The two French officials were reportedly overseeing programs supporting Iranian civil society, including artists and scientists.

"As soon as law enforcement officers learned that the two people were affiliated with the French Embassy in Tehran, they transferred them to the diplomatic police headquarters and, after coordinating with the Ministry and contacting the French ambassador, they were handed over to the embassy," he said.

Paris said Monday that the two officials are safe and are expected to return to France in the coming hours.

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused two French diplomats of engaging in "unconventional” conduct and alleged that their actions were not in accordance with the Islamic Republic's regulations.

In April, two French nationals who had been detained in Iran for more than three years were released after Tehran allowed them to leave the country under an agreement with Paris to withdraw its case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The pair were sentenced to 31 and 32 years' imprisonment in October by Iran’s judiciary on charges of spying for French intelligence, cooperation with Israel, and compromising the country's security.

The two French academics were held in Iranian custody after being detained in 2022 during a trip to the country, at a time when Iran was witnessing one of its largest nationwide uprisings following the death of Zhina (Mahsa) Amini in police custody, known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” (Jin, Jiyan, Azadi) movement. 

Tehran has frequently accused European nationals traveling to Iran of espionage or fomenting unrest, allegations that critics say are part of a broader pattern of Iran’s hostage diplomacy.