# Iran-European diplomatic tensions > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/iran-european-diplomatic-tensions > Updated: 2026-09-19T08:22:00.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. Diplomatic tensions have escalated between Iran and several European nations. On September 16, the Iranian Foreign Ministry rebuked German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accusing him of lacking the “minimum moral courage” to condemn military actions by the United States and Israel. Iranian officials dismissed claims regarding a military nuclear program as an “Israeli-fabricated ‘big lie’” and rejected the characterization of regional groups as proxies, describing them instead as “independent actors with their own clear causes and calculations.” On September 19, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi targeted French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, accusing him of shedding “crocodile tears” regarding the death of Mahsa Amini. Araghchi criticized France for its silence following an airstrike on a school in Minab, southern Iran, which Iranian reports stated killed 168 children and 14 teachers. Additionally, Araghchi invoked France’s colonial history in Algeria, arguing that the nation has failed to officially apologize for its colonial crimes. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-19: Iran's Foreign Minister criticizes French counterpart over Mahsa Amini remarks Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, accusing him of hypocrisy over Mahsa Amini’s death and citing French colonial history in Algeria. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/irans-foreign-minister-criticizes-french-counterpart-over-mahsa-amini-remarks ### 2026-09-16: Iran criticizes German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over regional remarks Iran’s Foreign Ministry has criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accusing him of hypocrisy and failing to condemn US and Israeli military actions while spreading distorted narratives about Iran. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/iran-criticizes-german-chancellor-friedrich-merz-over-regional-remarks --- Cite as: Iran-European diplomatic tensions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/iran-european-diplomatic-tensions