The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry denounced the French police’ resort to violence against protesters as a testimony to France’s non-compliance with democracy and freedom of speech.

In a post on his Twitter account on Sunday, Nasser Kanaani slammed as unacceptable the French police’ violent crackdown on citizens staging protests against the president’s pension reforms.

Kanaani said such brute force against protesters reveals the French government’s failure to respect the principles of democracy and freedom of speech.

The Iranian spokesman also advised France to avoid double standards and instrumental use of human rights and to stop resorting to violence against demonstrators.

The protesters and police in Paris have clashed for a third night as thousands took to the streets across the country and workers at refineries went on strike to oppose the government’s decision to raise the state pension age without a parliamentary vote.

The growing unrest, combined with rubbish piling up on the streets of Paris after refuse workers joined in the action, has left President Emmanuel Macron with the gravest challenge to his authority since the so-called “Gilets Jaunes”, or Yellow Vests protests, which began in late 2018.

Riot police used tear gas and clashed with some in the crowd, Al Jazeera reported.

By Tasnim