French police arrest man who threatened to blow himself up at Iranian consulate in Paris

French police on Friday (Apr 19) arrested a man in Paris who had threatened to blow himself up at the Iranian consulate, reported Reuters.

The man was seen entering the consulate at 11 am local time, carrying what appeared to be a grenade and explosive vest, a police source was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The man later exited the consulate and was being searched by special police forces and was not actually carrying explosives, thepolice source added.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Police earlier cordoned off the Iranian consulate and said they were preparing to enterat "the consulate's request."

"A witness saw a man enter carrying a grenade or an explosive belt," a source was quoted as saying by news agencies, adding that an elite police unit had been mobilised after the consulate requested an intervention.

It was reported that it was the same man who had been suspected of attempted arson near the Iranian consulate in an incident last September.

Le Parisien newspaper reported thatthe man had dragged flags on the floor of the consulate and said he wanted to avenge the death of his brother.

It was not immediately clear whether the incident was linked to the ongoing Israel-Iran tensions.