TEHRAN - Iran has questioned France’s response to the nationwide student protests, noting that Paris is applying double standards to the right to protest and human rights.
In a post on X on Tuesday in French, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei pointed to the French security forces’ harsh response to the student protests and the government’s differing approach to human rights.
Paris, he said, had in January 2026 underscored the need to respect “peaceful assembly without fear of punishment” and called for government “restraint” toward protesters in Iran.
He said French officials had even referred to a “peaceful uprising” despite being aware of calls for riots and violence outside Iran and reports of armed attacks on law enforcement centers in the Islamic Republic.
“Now, in France, student protests are called ‘urban violence,’” Baghaei said.
The French interior minister appeared less supportive of restraint and had called for swift and decisive intervention by security forces and the use of force to restore order, the Iranian official said.
En janvier 2026, la France a appelé l’Iran à garantir le « droit de manifester pacifiquement sans crainte de représailles » et à faire preuve de retenue dans sa réponse aux manifestations.
“Clearly, violence against police, arson and damage to public property cannot be justified, and the government has a duty to maintain