In a week of high-level diplomacy amid underlying tensions, France has been advocating for peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, while reaffirming its position on Iran's detention of two French nationals.
During a visit to the Armenian capital Yerevan last Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot made an impassioned call for Armenia and Azerbaijan to "quickly" finalise and sign a long-awaited peace treaty.
The two neighbours – long at odds over the contested Karabakh region – appeared on the cusp of reconciliation in March when they agreed on a draft deal.
However, negotiations have since stalled, with Azerbaijan demanding constitutional amendments from Armenia before signing the agreement.
Speaking alongside his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, Barrot said: "It is essential that this treaty be signed."
His words underscored France’s deepening engagement in the South Caucasus, where global powers – including Russia, the European Union, the United States and Turkey – vie for influence.
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Support for Armenia
France has been vocal in its support for Armenia’s sovereignty and security – a stance that has ruffled feathers in both Baku and Moscow.
In recent years, Paris has bolstered defence cooperation with Armenia, supplying equipment such as CAESAR self-propelled howitzers.
“All this is solely aimed at helping Armenia acquire the means to defend its population, its territorial integrity and its sovereignty,” said Barrot.
But this show of solidarity has not gone unnoticed by Russia. During a visit to Armenia the previous week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced concern over Yerevan's pivot towards France, casting doubt on the motivation behind the alliance.
Barrot pushed back, stating that France and Europe are not at war with Russia, but are resisting what he termed “the Putinisation of the world” – a veiled warning against territorial aggression.
French artist pardoned
France’s diplomatic efforts bore fruit on another front this week, with the return of street artist Théo Clerc, who was pardoned and released by Azerbaijan after spending more than 400 days behind bars for graffiti art he painted in a metro station.
France slams Azerbaijan's 'discriminatory' jailing of graffiti sprayer
Barrot hailed the release as “the honour and pride of French diplomacy".
Franco-Azeri relations have been strained due to France’s support for Armenia, criticism of Azerbaijan’s human rights record and accusations that Baku has orchestrated a disinformation campaign targeting French institutions.
Stand-off over French detainees
However, it wasn’t all diplomatic triumphs for Paris. On the same day Barrot stood with Armenian leaders in Yerevan, Tehran issued a scathing rebuke of France’s legal action at the International Court of Justice over the detention of two French nationals – Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris – on charges of espionage.
France sues Iran at top UN court over citizens detained in Tehran
Iranian authorities blasted the case as “pointless” and accused France of “exploiting” legal institutions.
The pair – arrested in 2022 during a holiday in Iran – are among roughly 20 Europeans being detained in what critics say is a strategy of leverage by Tehran.
France alleges that the couple have been held in conditions amounting to torture and has accused Iran of violating international obligations.
