Iran closes French Language Center in Tehran

Iranian security forces closed the French Language Center (CLF) in Tehran on Sunday, September 20. The establishment, which is affiliated with the French embassy, was raided following an order from the Tehran public prosecutor’s office.

Iranian authorities accuse the center of operating without necessary authorizations and using French language instruction as a cover for activities contrary to national security and Iranian culture. Specifically, the judiciary claims the center sought to identify individuals to build networks among elites and facilitate the departure of qualified Iranians from the country. No public evidence has been provided to support these accusations.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, known as the Quai d’Orsay, condemned the closure as “unjustifiable and unacceptable.” In response to the incident, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot announced that the Iranian ambassador to France will be summoned and that “appropriate measures” will be taken, though the specific nature of these measures has not been disclosed.

The CLF was established in 2004 to continue the linguistic and academic cooperation previously handled by the French Institute of Tehran. This incident follows previous diplomatic friction, including an event in July involving two members of the French embassy staff.