Iran Shuts French Embassy-Affiliated Center in Tehran

Iranian authorities have sealed a French-language center affiliated with the French Embassy in Tehran under a judicial order, saying it operated without the required license despite repeated warnings. Officials accused the center of using language education to pursue activities contrary to Iranian-Islamic culture and national security, including identifying and networking individuals and helping skilled Iranians leave the country. The closure comes amid heightened Iranian scrutiny of foreign contacts and concerns about alleged foreign influence.