Carrefour sign

French retailer Carrefour has continued its expansion in the Middle East region with the opening of its first hypermarket in Iran.

Carrefour’s Middle Eastern partner, Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim, opened the store, which is located in the western part of Tehran, the country’s capital.

The store bears the Hyperstar insignia, rather than the Carrefour banner, reportedly for security reasons.

The move comes at a time when French-Iranian relations are particularly strained, due to French threats to introduce sanctions over Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons activity.