PARIS -- France's diplomatic rupture with Iran Friday marked the first time in more than a decade that official ties between Paris and another country have been severed.
The tensions in a diplomatic war of nerves began June 30 when French police blockaded the Iranian Embassy in Paris demanding to interview an official inside in connection with a wave of bomb attacks in France last year.
After various measures and counter-measures, Iran Thursday threatened to sever relations in 72 hours but Paris moved first, saying it reluctantly was breaking off relations 'for now.'
Peru broke off diplomatic relations with Paris in 1973 to protest French nuclear testing in the south Pacific. The rupture lasted until 1975.
The African country of Guinea severed ties in 1965 after charging France with plotting to overthrow its government. Relations were renewed 10 years later.
Nigeria cut diplomatic ties with Paris from 1961, a rupture lasting until 1982, to protest alleged French nuclear testing in the Sahara desert.
President Francois Mitterrand said Wednesday Paris tried to seek a solution to the deadlock with Iran in order to avoid breaking relations. Prime Minister Jacques Chirac launched a bid last year to normalize relations with Iran, a diplomatic initiative that raised hopes for the release of French hostages held by pro-Iranian extremists in Lebanon.
But Mitterrand said Wednesday France would not 'bow down to threats, pressure or blackmail.'
Iran had demanded punishment of French border police who it says attacked an Iranian diplomat at the Geneva airport last weekend. France also said several of its diplomats had been refused permission to leave Iran recently.
A government spokesman said France wanted to resolve the crisis 'without polemics or excitation, but calmly and in full respect of international law.'
'This has not been an easy decision,' a foreign ministry spokesman said Friday. 'We don't like doing it, but we could not ignore Iran's ultimatum on Thursday to break off ties within 72 hours.'
