Iran has summoned the French ambassador in Tehran to formally protest what it described as “insulting” and “provocative” comments made by France’s foreign minister following the Cannes Film Festival.

The diplomatic dispute arose after Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was awarded the prestigious Palme d’Or for his latest work, It Was Just an Accident, a political drama inspired by his own experiences in prison. Following the win, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot hailed the film as “a gesture of resistance against the Iranian regime’s oppression.”

The statement sparked a swift backlash from Iranian officials. According to state media, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Tanhaei criticized Barrot’s remarks as “unfounded allegations” and “blatant interference in Iran’s internal affairs.” During a meeting with the French envoy, Tanhaei condemned the comments and demanded an official explanation from the French government.

He further accused France of hypocrisy, citing what he described as its silence over the situation in Gaza, and said Paris had “no moral authority” to speak on Iran’s human rights record.

Panahi, a long-standing critic of the Iranian government, has faced repeated imprisonment and censorship over the years. He was first sentenced to six years in prison in 2010 for supporting anti-government protests and was later banned from filmmaking and international travel for 20 years. He served two months then, and again spent seven months in prison before being released in February 2023.

Despite these restrictions, Panahi secretly filmed It Was Just an Accident in Iran. The film portrays five ordinary citizens confronting a man they believe tortured them while in detention—stories drawn from conversations Panahi had with fellow inmates.

Accepting the award at Cannes, Panahi used his speech to call for unity among Iranians: “No one should dare tell us what kind of clothes we should wear, what we should do, or what we should not do,” he said.

The filmmaker also confirmed that he would soon return to Iran, telling reporters, “As soon as I finish my work here, I will go back to Tehran—and ask myself what my next film will be.”

This marks Panahi’s first appearance at an international film festival in 15 years, underscoring the resilience of his voice amid growing international attention to Iran’s human rights record.