Iran said on Monday it had summoned the ambassadors of Germany, France and the United Kingdom to its Foreign Ministry over expressions of solidarity by their leaders with protesters in Iran, where demonstrations have been met with a harsh crackdown.
A statement carried by the state broadcaster said videos of the unrest were shown during the meeting. The Foreign Ministry said “violent” acts had crossed the boundaries of peaceful demonstrations.
Germany’s Foreign Office confirmed that its ambassador had been summoned along with other European ambassadors.
The Foreign Ministry in Paris also said its ambassador had been summoned, saying Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed latest developments in the country with the European ambassadors, who expressed their concern.
There was no explicit confirmation of the summons from London. Government sources said the ambassador had attended a scheduled appointment at the Foreign Ministry in Tehran.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper earlier praised the courage of women who have joined the nationwide protests against the country’s hardline Islamic rulers. She said exercising the right to freedom of expression and assembly should never be met with fear of violence or reprisals.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron said in a joint statement on Friday that they were “deeply concerned” by the violence and “strongly” condemned the deaths of protesters.
Tehran demanded that the expressions of solidarity be withdrawn.