France bans demonstrations by group opposing the Iranian regime

According to information from the Reuters agency, the Paris police claimed that the measure was taken because “there is a serious risk that clashes between activists with opposing opinions could occur during this demonstration, which would likely seriously disrupt public order.”

The decision to ban the protest was taken hours after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by telephone this Thursday (18) with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, about negotiations to end the United States and Israel’s war against Iran.

According to the EFE agency, in a press conference, the CNRI representative in France, Afchine Alavi, classified as “futile and even ridiculous” the security arguments presented by the Paris Police Prefecture to deny authorization for the demonstration, since none of the group’s previous acts resulted in violence.

For Alavi, the “ban (on the march) has its origins in a political decision” and is the result of “the blackmail that the mullahs’ regime exercises over countries that host the Iranian resistance” to “prevent the crimes committed by that regime from being reported.”

In a note sent to Reuters, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the CNRI’s claim that the veto was related to the phone call between the foreign ministers.

“This allegation is false. The (Iranian) minister did not mention this protest or request its cancellation,” government minister Emmanuel Macron said.