Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi has warned France against "being influenced" by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's "adventurism" and "lies", according to Press TV, a state-run Iranian news agency.
Recalling that France remains one of the seven signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, Qassemi described Saudi Arabia's "repetitive claims" against Tehran as something that he said is "meant to counter" the nuclear agreement.
READ MORE: France Plans to Continue Dialogue With Iran on Nuclear Program
"Contrary to the claims in this statement, the Islamic Republic of Iran has always taken steps in line with the stability and security of regional states as well as the fight against terrorism and terror groups. France should know that such opposition raised against Iran is rooted in the fury of certain states over Iran's victories in the battle against the terrorists they have trained," he stressed.
Qassemi also urged France to "review its policies on the export to Saudi Arabia of weapons, which have been used in the kingdom's aggression against Yemenis and to massacre innocent people."
READ MORE: Germany, UK, France Agree Iran Nuclear Deal Should be Preserved — Sigmar Gabriel
He also warned against the Iranian-French ties being negatively affected by Mohammed bin Salman, who was described by Qassemi as a "novice" and "warmonger" who is facing "genocide charges" in French courts.
His remarks came after a joint statement by Paris and Riyadh which was issued following Bin Salman's visit to France. In the statement, the two sides specifically "agreed on the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."
In an apparent reference to Iran, Bin Salman told Time magazine last week that Saudi Arabia and Israel have a "common enemy" and that the two countries also have many "potential areas" for bilateral economic cooperation.
READ MORE: Saudi Arabia Calls Iran Nuclear Agreement 'Flawed Deal'
In a separate interview with the Atlantic, he included Iran in the so-called "triangle of evil," along with the Muslim Brotherhood and Daesh*. He also reiterated his stern remarks regarding Iran's Supreme Leader Iran Ali Khamenei, describing him as "the Hitler of the Middle East."
Saudi-Iranian relations deteriorated further after a Yemeni Houthi rebel missile launch targeted Riyadh in November 2017; Saudi Arabia accused Iran of allegedly providing the Houthi rebels with weapons. Tehran rejected the allegations, emphasizing that Riyadh was wrong to consider the Islamic Republic its "enemy."
The JCPOA was signed by Iran and the P5+1 group of nations, including Russia, the US, the UK, China and France, in July 2015. The deal stipulates a gradual lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran in exchange for Tehran maintaining the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
*Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State), a terrorist group banned in Russia
