PARIS — The Paris Police Prefecture banned a demonstration scheduled for June 20, 2026, and police dispersed demonstrators at Place Vauban near the Les Invalides monument in Paris on that date. Officers arrested 20 people during the event. The demonstration was organized to protest political executions in Iran and support a democratic republic.

Police attributed the ban to a risk of clashes between activists holding opposing views. Organizers appealed the ban. A Paris court upheld the ban Saturday, citing the same risk of conflict between opposing activists.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran, which is based in Paris and serves as the political arm of the People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran, characterized the police justification for the ban as "bogus." In 2023, a court had reversed an initial decision by the Paris Police to ban a rally by the group.

The ban announcement occurred hours after a call between France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi where they discussed developments to end the Iran war. The French foreign ministry rejected allegations that the ban was connected to the call between the foreign ministers. A spokesperson stated in a message sent to a news outlet: "This allegation is false. The (Iranian) minister did not mention this protest or request its cancellation."

Foreign Minister Barrot also stated he believed Iran's population had been the biggest victims of the war. He said France was establishing a platform to allow artists in exile to express themselves independently of political considerations. "Iran is, above all, a great people, and we distinguish between the Iranian regime and Iran itself," Barrot added.