France recalls Iranian embassy visa official

France has recalled a consular official working at its embassy in Tehran over what the ambassador described as the irregular issuing of visas.

The ambassador, Philippe de Suremain, said that more than three hundred and fifty visas had been acquired irregularly, mainly via what he described as shady middle men.

The official in charge of issuing visas at the French embassy, Fati Ezzine, has been suspended and left Iran.

Mr de Suremain said there was heavy pressure from young people and minority groups in Iran wanting to leave the country, and that a number of organisations were presenting themselves as intermediaries with foreign embassies for obtaining visas.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service