France to Iran: We would send seasoned spies

France to Iran: We would send seasoned spies
Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:57:09 GMT

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner hits back at charges that Paris has sent a 23-year-old lecturer as an undercover agent to Iran.

French student Clotilde Reiss was detained in Iran following the recent post-election riots in the country's capital Tehran. Iranian officials say the lecturer from the Isfahan Technical University in central Iran had taken part in the protests.

She had also sent an email to a friend in Tehran that contained information on the rallies.

During his visit to Lebanon, Kouchner said the charge brought against the French national "doesn't hold up".

"Do you think my country would be so naive and shorthanded as to send a 23-year-old woman to spy in Iran? That's stupid, it's not possible," he told reporters during a visit to Lebanon.

The French national's arrest came after Iran turned into a scene of opposition rallies in protest at Mahmoud Ahmadinejad having been announced as the official winner of the 10th presidential election with nearly two-thirds of the vote.

Iran blames foreign powers, namely Britain, over the unrest, saying they interfered in its internal affairs and played a significant role in provoking the post-election violence, which claimed the lives of at least 20 people.

MT/AA