PARIS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani have decided to postpone a visit to Tehran by the French foreign minister, the Elysee Palace announced on Tuesday evening.

Macron and Rouhani held a telephone conversation on Tuesday, which was scheduled before the protests in Iran in recent days, said the president's office in a press release.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was scheduled to travel to Tehran on Friday to prepare for a planned visit of Macron, which would be the first visit by a French president to Iran since 1976.

The press release said that the two leaders decided "by mutual agreement" that Le Drian's visit would be delayed, but it did not specify any reason.

"A new date will be fixed by diplomatic channel. Exchanges between Paris and Tehran will continue in the coming weeks," said the press release.

The phone call allowed Macron to "expressed his concern about the number of victims" in the unrest in Iran and "urged his counterpart to restrain," according to the press release.

It also underlined that "fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and demonstration, must be respected."

In their talks, Macron and Rouhani also exchanged views on the 2015 nuclear agreement, peace processes in Iran and Syria, as well as the anti-terrorism fight, it added.

At least eight people were killed as protests against the government's economic policies continued in major cities in Iran over the past days.