Araghchi responds to Macron: “Mr President, it is too late”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticized recent remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron about mass unrest and a social crisis in France.

Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing Iran’s official IRNA news agency, that Araghchi accused the French leadership of trying to avoid responsibility for mass protests that have spiraled out of control in the country and of looking for excuses.

The Iranian foreign minister criticized Macron’s attempt to link domestic socio-economic tensions and rising fuel prices to the military conflict in the Middle East and US military operations:

“It is absurd to blame military operations in the Middle East for the mass protests and uncontrollable unrest in France. Mr President, it is too late. Instead of looking for others to blame, you should listen to your people’s fundamental demands and calls for change,” Araghchi said.

The Iranian diplomat also accused Paris of having supported pressure and sanctions policies against Iran in the past, saying that the current crisis in France was the result of failures in domestic governance.