France denies Iran's 'false statements' on citizens' arrests

France on Wednesday denied claims by Iran's interior ministry that it had arrested French intelligence officers amid protests in the country and demanded the release of all of its citizens held in Iran.

"France categorically denies the false statements of the Iranian Minister of the Interior on our compatriots recently arrested in this country and recalls that it considers all these detentions to be arbitrary," the foreign ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters.

"As the (French foreign) minister indicated, we are aware of a total of seven French nationals who are now arbitrarily detained in Iran."