Wine is considered a key ingredient of France's global prestige and the French president perhaps its ultimate ambassador.
So when Iran's president asked for bottles of Bordeaux and Burgundy to be removed from the table at the Elysée Palace during his historic trip next week, the answer was a polite "non".
Hassan Rouhani is visiting Paris as part of a four-day tour of Italy and France beginning November 14, making him the first Iranian president to travel to Europe in a decade.
He had been due to join François Hollande for a formal lunch at the presidential palace on November 17, but the meal was scrapped after the Elysée reportedly rejected Iran's request to serve a halal meal with no wine. » | Henry Samuel, Paris | Tuesday, November 10, 2015
LE MONDE : Hassan Rohani refuse de participer à un repas à l’Elysée où sera servi du vin » | Par Yves-Michel Riols | mardi 10 novembre 2015
