Police are at the scene of the Iranian consulate in Paris where a man is threatening to blow himself up with a suicide vest, according to local reports.
The individual is currently holed up inside the building in the French capital’s 16th arrondissement. He is reported to be wearing an explosive belt and is also said to be equipped with an object that resembles a grenade, according to Europe 1.
The area has been cordoned off and the public evacuated, with a police source saying that an ‘intervention was imminent’ – suggesting officers were preparing to storm the building.
Police ordered the city’s Metro Line 6 to be interrupted as a safety measure.
Officers from France’s special BRI armed police unit are on the scene.
Europe 1 reports that the embassy contacted the police requesting assistance, reporting that the man was inside the building.
It said he was holed up in a room inside the consulate ‘in the presence of the ambassador’, the outlet reported.
The incident comes amid increasing tensions between Israel and Iran, with the Jewish state today launching strikes against the Islamic Republic.
This was in response to Iran launching over 300 missiles towards Israel on Saturday, 99 percent of which were intercepted by Israel and its allies.
Iran’s weekend attack was in-turn believed to have been in response to an April 1 suspected Israeli air strike which levelled Tehran’s consular annex in Damascus and killed seven Revolutionary Guards members, including two generals.
The tit-for-tat attacks have ramped up tensions in the volatile region, increasing fears that the Middle East could descend into a full-blown conflict.
It was not clear whether the incident in Paris was related to the on-going crisis.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow…
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
