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<p><span class="caps">PARIS</span> – Two extra French residents are probably being held in Iran, taking the whole of its nationals detained there to seven, France’s international minister mentioned in remarks revealed on Saturday. </p>
<p>France lashed out at Iran on Oct. 6 accusing it of “dictatorial practices” and taking its residents hostage after a video was aired by which a French couple appeared to admit to spying, after weeks of unrest that Iran has linked to international foes.</p>
<p>“We now have considerations over two different residents. We are attempting to verify the contradictory data,” Catherine Colonna informed Le Parisien newspaper in an interview. </p>
<p>On Friday, Le Figaro newspaper reported that the 2 nationals had been arrested previous to the beginning of anti-government protests in September over the demise of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. </p>
<p>The international ministry didn't instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark.</p>
<p>Ties between France and Iran have deteriorated in latest months as efforts to revive nuclear talks by which France is among the events have stalled. Neither nation has an envoy in place.</p>
<p>The protests over Amini’s demise whereas she was in police custody have pushed the EU to comply with the USA, Canada and Britain in imposing sanctions on Iran.</p>
<p>A brand new spherical of EU sanctions on human rights shall be accepted at a international ministers’ assembly on Monday, two diplomats informed Reuters. </p>
<p>The sanctions would see 31 designations for human rights violations that may goal people and entities masking asset bans and journey freezes, they mentioned. </p>
<p>France has additionally proposed new designations for individuals who promote drones to Iran and to sanction individuals concerned within the export of digital parts for drones, one of many diplomats mentioned. </p>
<p>“If its (Iran’s) goal is to blackmail us, then that is the mistaken method to go about coping with France,” Colonna mentioned.</p>
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