False bomb threat in the Iranian consulate in Paris, a man arrested

AGI – The police operation decided to deal with the threat is still ongoing and for now the security perimeter has not been lifted. According to BFMTV, the man left the consulate of his own free will and was arrested by rapid intervention forces and searched, without any explosive device being found. The car in which he arrived on site was also searched. French counter-terrorism officers asked to enter the consulate but employees of the diplomatic building prevented them. The man, whose motive is still unknown, entered the consulate around 11 am. Some witnesses reported that he had taken off his coat and was wearing a handmade vest in which, apparently, there were some explosives. The newspaper Le Parisien reported that the individual placed several flags on the ground and assured that his goal was to avenge his brother’s death. Police sent rapid intervention units to the area and set up a security perimeter in several streets around the consulate, which is located near Place du Trocadero, a busy place facing the Eiffel Tower. The Iranian consulate in Paris does not have a high activity, due to the coldness between the two countries, which means that few visas are issued. Paris has imposed harsh sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program and accuses the regime of holding four French citizens hostage for political reasons. The Iranian ambassador in Paris was summoned last Monday by the French Foreign Ministry to convey a message of firm rejection after Tehran’s attack on Israel with missiles and drones on Saturday night.