France has reportedly objected and accused Israel of endangering the lives of its citizens by attacking Ervin Prison in Tehran on Monday. The officials said parts of the prison structure have suffered damage in the attack. A video footage circulating on social media also confirmed that the Israeli forces targeted the main entrance of the facility.
In his post on X, France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, called the strike “unacceptable” and said it had endangered French nationals Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris.
The duo were arrested in 2022 by the Iranian authorities over espionage charges, which they deny. Kohler’s sister, Noemie, condemned the strike as “irresponsible”, saying it had placed prisoners “in mortal danger”.
He said he spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who assured him that both of the French nationals were safe and unharmed.
The motives of the strikes are not yet known, but the Iranian side has seen it as an attempt to free some of the most notorious prisoners and criminals in an attempt to create internal chaos in the country.
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The Ervin Prison is famous for housing some of the most dreadful criminals in the country, including foreign nationals arrested on charges of espionage against Iranian interests.
Meanwhile, French President Macron, who is already at odds with the Israeli government, also criticised the attack and said Ervin Prison had “nothing to do” with Israel’s stated goal of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He went on to criticise the US air strikes on the three Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday, terming them illegal under international law.
“There is no legal basis for these strikes, even if France shares the objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” he said.
In response, Tehran on Monday night launched massive airstrikes on the US bases in Qatar, Iraq, and Syria. The response, according to Iran, was measured and aimed at warning the US of its recent airstrikes inside the country, threatening the peace of the entire region.
Also read: Israel intercepts Iran missiles after Trump's ceasefire claims
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