Iran summons French ambassador over colleague’s tweet

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency reports the foreign ministry has summoned France’s ambassador to Tehran over remarks made on Twitter by his colleague in Washington.

Ambassador Philippe Thiebaud was being asked Sunday to explain why the French ambassador to the U.S., Gerard Araud, had tweeted that “sanctions could be reimposed” on Iran once the 2015 nuclear deal expires after 10 years.

Araud said Saturday that because “Russia is providing enriched uranium” to Iran, Tehran shouldn’t need to be “massively enriching uranium after the JCPOA,” using the acronym for the nuclear deal signed with world powers, including France.

ISNA says Iran’s foreign ministry has called Araud’s remarks “unacceptable” and in “open violation” of the nuclear deal.

Under the nuclear deal, Iran capped its uranium enrichment activities in return to ending sanctions.