The facility, which had taught French for more than a decade, never held an official licence. Officials say it expanded into activities beyond language instruction, a claim that Tehran uses to justify the shutdown.
Iranian prosecutors cited national‑security concerns, alleging the centre helped identify and build networks aimed at enabling skilled Iranians to leave the country. The security narrative echoes Tehran’s broader crackdown on institutions perceived as foreign influence.
France has called the closure "unacceptable" and vowed to summon Iran's ambassador. Foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said the move was an unjustifiable attack on France’s cultural presence. Paris also threatens to take "appropriate measures" in response.
The dispute follows a string of diplomatic spat, including the expulsion of two French diplomats earlier this summer. It is also tied to the French foreign minister’s post marking Mahsa Amini’s death, which Iran dismissed as "crocodile tears". The foreign ministers are slated to meet on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly, where they may try to defuse the escalating tension.