Anti-French Rally as Foreign Minister Lands in Tehran

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius flew into Tehran to meet with top Iranian officials on July 29, the first visit by a French foreign minister in 12 years. Amid hopes for Iranian-French diplomatic and economic relations to build on the success of the nuclear deal signed earlier this month, there were some Iranians who were less than pleased with the news. Crowds opposed to the nuclear deal, including members of the so-called Delvapasan Coalition (“The Worried”) and other hardliner sympathizers, gathered at Tehran’s International Airport to show their disapproval. Many chanted anti-Western slogans and held up placards accusing the French government of collusion with Israel and the United States. Others blamed France and Fabius for the spread AIDS in Iran, alluding to a time in the 1980s when France exported HIV-infected blood to the country. Fabius was prime minister at the time. “No Welcome to AIDS Lord,” one sign read. “We won’t forgive or forget,” read another.

Mehr News agency

Originally published on July 29 2015