France’s Foreign Ministry accused Iran of the practices of the “worst dictatorial regimes” after two of its citizens appeared in video confessing to being members of the French intelligence services, something the ministry denied categorically.

“The staging of their alleged confessions is outrageous, appalling, unacceptable and contrary to international law. This masquerade reveals the contempt for human dignity that characterizes the Iranian authorities,” the ministry’s spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said in a statement, demanding their immediate release.

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“These alleged confessions, extracted under duress, have no basis, nor did the reasons given for their arbitrary arrest,” she said describing them as “state hostages”.