French police at the last minute banned an Iranian opposition rally that was to be held on Saturday, claiming there was a risk of clashes with activists.

The Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) was set to hold its rally on Saturday, but late on Thursday, the police suddenly decided to ban the event, citing alleged risks with counter protesters. The NCRI claimed such a risk was “bogus,” according to Reuters.

The last-minute change came after France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, about ending the Iran war. While the NCRI suggested its event was canceled due to the call between Barrot and Araqchi, France’s foreign ministry disputed the allegation.

"This allegation is false. The (Iranian) minister did not mention this protest or request its cancellation," the ministry told Reuters.

Paris police said that the decision was based on national and international tensions.

"There is a serious risk that clashes between activists holding opposing views could occur during this demonstration, likely to seriously disrupt public order," the police said in their ruling.

Despite the police’s claims, NCRI has held previous rallies in Paris without incident, including one in February 2025.

"After business hours on the evening of Thursday, June 18, the Paris Police Prefecture banned the planned demonstration of 100,000 people against the wave of political executions in Iran, scheduled for Saturday, June 20, citing bogus reasons," the group told Reuters.