Tehran: Iran has shut down a French language center affiliated with France's embassy in Tehran over 'illegal activities,' Iranian media said Sunday. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the facility had been operating for years "under the guise of language education" despite repeated warnings to obtain the required license.

According to Anadolu Agency, the center "has misused the title of language learning to implement anti-Iranian-Islamic culture projects and against national security, and it has tried to identify, network and facilitate the departure of elites from the country," the agency stated. There was no immediate French comment on the Iranian move.

Last month, France expelled Iranian diplomats after Tehran took a similar step against French diplomats over 'interference' in Iranian internal affairs. The closure of the language center and the diplomatic tensions underscore ongoing strains between the two nations.