Tehran, July 5: Iranian Foreign Ministry on Thursday announced that it has summoned the ambassadors from France, Belgium and Germany to protest against the arrest of the country’s diplomat suspected of being tied to a terror plot in Paris. The Iranian diplomat was among six people detained in France, Belgium and Germany over suspected links to an alleged planned terror attack on an Iranian opposition rally on the outskirts of Paris, Efe news reported. He was arrested in Germany.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for political affairs Abbas Araqchi called for an “immediate and unconditional release of the Iranian diplomat”, saying envoys had immunity under the Vienna Convention. He said the move sought to “undermine Iran-Europe relations” as it coincided with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Switzerland and Austria. Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed his government’s involvement in the attempted attack. (IANS)