Iran issues travel warning for France
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The Iranian Foreign Ministry called on its citizens to avoid traveling to France amid the ongoing unrest.
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Firefighters use a water hose on a burnt bus in Nanterre, outside Paris, France, Saturday, July 1, 2023 (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Iranian citizens to avoid traveling to France, where major cities have been rocked by violent upheaval for days following the police shooting of a teenager.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani recommended Iranian nationals avoid unnecessary excursions to France due to the country's current situation.
Major cities in France have experienced consecutive nights of rioting following the police killing of a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan descent.
The teenager, known as Nahel Merzouk, was fatally shot by police on June 27 in the western Parisian suburb of Nanterre. Hundreds of people have been arrested in France amid raging protests.
Kanaani asked the French government and police to display restraint, avoid violence, and listen to demonstrators' demands in his message. He also blamed the difficult conditions encountered by European residents, particularly those in France, on the "discriminatory treatment of migrants" and the European governments' "refusal to admit and rectify its wrong behavior" toward them.
The spokesman added that “The government of France is expected to stop the coercive treatment of its people by respecting the principles based upon human dignity, freedom of speech, and the citizens’ right to peaceful protests."
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He also stated that Iran is closely monitoring developments in France, urging Iranian nationals to avoid unnecessary presence in French towns and clash scenes due to the country's "insecure and unpredictable situation."
The French TV station BFMTV reported Yesterday that around 1000 people were detained by the police last night over the burgeoning protests in the country.
The broadcaster also noted that the protests left large-scale destruction of private property; 1,350 cars and 234 buildings were damaged and 2,560 fires were started in public places.
The protests also left public property damaged: 31 police departments, 16 offices of the municipal police, and 11 gendarmerie barracks.
Additionally, the French Ministry of Interior revealed that 79 police officers and gendarmes were injured during the protests.
