Central Paris has seen vehicles burned, business premises damaged and hundreds of arrests. (Credit: AFP)
On Friday, Iran condemned France for its repression of protests which resulted in the arrest of 450 people and left many police personnel injured.
Protesters clashed with French security forces on Thursday in what was the most serious episode of violence in the three-month-long revolt against President Emmanuel Macron's decision to increase the retirement age.
"We strongly condemn the repression of the peaceful demonstrations of the French people," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian tweeted in French.
"We call on the French government to respect human rights and refrain from using force against the people of the country who are peacefully pursuing their claims," he added.
His ministry's spokesman Nasser Kanani had previously urged the French government to "talk to its people and listen to their voices."
"We do not support destruction or rioting, but we maintain that instead of creating chaos in other countries, listen to the voice of your people and avoid violence against them," he said.
Kanani referred to France's criticism of Iran's response to the protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini.
Hundreds of people have been killed, including dozens of security personnel and thousands arrested in connection with what Iranian officials described as "riots" fomented by Israel and the West.
The United States, Britain and the European Union have imposed several rounds of sanctions on Iran in response to the protest movement, led mostly by women.
"Those who sow the wind reap the whirlwind," Kanani said, adding that such "violence contradicts sitting on the chair of morality lessons and preaching to others."
On Friday, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 457 people were arrested and 441 members of the security forces injured the day before, during the protests.
Darmanin dismissed calls from protesters to withdraw the pensions reform.
"I don't think we should withdraw this law because of violence," he said. "If so, that means there's no state. We should accept a democratic, social debate, but not a violent debate."