France's foreign minister said on Tuesday that relations with Iran had become more difficult after Tehran sentenced a French-Iranian academic to prison in what he claimed to be a politically motivated decision.
"This sentencing was founded on no serious elements and was politically motivated. So we firmly say to the Iranian authorities to release Fariba Adelkhah without delay," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Inter radio.
Mousavi reacted to the remarks on Wednesday, noting that the investigation about crimes of Iranian citizens is solely conducted by the jurisdiction of the Iranian courts.
He added that her case has been investigated and addressed according to regulations and Ms Adelkhah's rights have been fully preserved.
Mousavi said that the issued sentence is not the final one as she can appeal.
"Any threatening and intrusive tone will make the case more complicated, and the Islamic Republic of Iran does not tolerate its principles of governance, including the independence of the judiciary been disrespected."
Pointing to the independence of the Judiciary branch in Iran, the spokesman said that such remarks by French officials are unconstructive for bilateral ties between the two countries.
On May 16, the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Iran sentenced Fariba Adelkhah to six years in prison on charges of breaching national security and spreading propaganda against the country.
The Iranian Judiciary has been carefully pursuing the case of Adelkhah within the framework of the country’s fair trial law.
Adelkhah was reportedly arrested in June 2019 on espionage charges.
France had urged Iran to release Adelkhah, who also holds French nationality but the Islamic Republic of Iran’s national law does not recognize the dual citizenship of Iranian citizens, and thus Adelkhah is regarded as an Iranian national.
Mousavi said in October 2019 that interference of the French Foreign Ministry in the case of Iranian nationals is void of any legal basis.
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