The World : Iran Charges French Envoy

The French consul in Tehran has been summoned to appear before the Islamic Revolutionary Court on charges of spying against Iran, according to a Tehran radio report monitored in London. The diplomat, who was not named, was also charged with “activity in contraband networks and smuggling.” Ties between France and Iran have been strained since late June when an Iranian, wanted by French police for questioning in a series of bombings last year, took refuge in the Iranian Embassy in Paris. Meanwhile, Iran, which is suspected of attacking a French cargo ship in the Persian Gulf on Monday, accused French police of beating up an Iranian diplomat in Geneva over the weekend and stealing documents from him.