The Iranian authorities have announced the closure of one of the oldest and most important French research institutes based in Teheran to protest against the cartoons depicting the supreme leader of the Islamic republic, the ayatollah Ali Khameneipublished by the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. The drawings were published on the occasion of the special issue for the anniversary of the Islamist massacre of 7 January 2015 in the editorial office of the French newspaper when an armed commando broke in, causing 12 deaths.
Charlie Hebdo scratching the mullahs: Tehran against France for the cartoons on Khamenei
by our correspondent Anais Ginori
“In reviewing cultural relations with France and examining the possibility of continuing French cultural activities in Iran, the ministry is terminating the activities of the French Institute for Research in Iran as a first step,” a statement read. of the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
This is Tehran’s first response after the release of the special edition of Charlie Hebdo dedicated to the protests in Iran containing various caricatures of Ayatollah Khamenei, portrayed by users who responded to the competition launched by the newspaper. “The abusive and indecent act of a French newspaper in publishing cartoons against religious and political authorities will not be effective without a decisive response”, the Iranian foreign minister replied yesterday Hossein Amir Abdullahianand subsequently the French ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran was summoned, Nicholas Roche.
Closing is the Institut Français de Recherche en Iran (IFRI), an institution affiliated to the French Foreign Ministry which remained inactive for many years until it reopened under the presidency of the moderate Hassan Rohani (2013-2021), which was read as a sign rapprochement in relations between France and Iran. In the structure there is also a large library, used by French-speaking students and Iranian university students.