A JUNIOR minister in French President Francois Hollande’s government criticized a U.S. criminal probe against BNP Paribas late Sunday, saying France would not allow itself to be pushed around by its ally.

    Fears that a looming U.S. fine on BNP Paribas over allegations it evaded U.S. sanctions against Iran and other countries for years hit France’s biggest bank Friday, driving its shares sharply lower.

    “The United States cannot act in a unilateral way ... The United States cannot treat its allies like this and subordinate them to its geostrategic interests,” Jean-Marie Le Guen told BFM TV.

    Le Guen is junior minister in charge of the government’s relationship with parliament and as such would not have any direct role in any government initiative over the BNP Paribas case.(SD-Agencies)