France recalls some diplomats, families from Tehran

France recalls some diplomats, families from Tehran

France is bringing some of its diplomats and their families home from Iran because of the attack on the British embassy in Tehran on Tuesday, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Saturday.

December 3, 2011 7:28 by Reuters

The aim of the diplomats’ repatriation is to ensure the safety of certain diplomats who “were more vulnerable than others,” the spokesman said.

“We want to protect our diplomatic staff and their family members after what happened at the British embassy (in Tehran),” the spokesman said. “The context is particularly tense.”

The spokesman said the move was temporary, and declined to say how many diplomats were involved or when they would return to France.

France recalled its ambassador from Iran after the British embassy in Tehran was stormed in protest against London’s imposition of new sanctions on Iran in connection with its controversial nuclear programme.

Britain closed its embassy in response and expelled all Iranian diplomats, but did not sever diplomatic relations.

Other countries have also recalled their diplomats from Tehran including Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. (Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt)