French minister criticises United States over BNP Paribas probe

France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls (L) and Minister for Parliamentary Relations Jean-Marie Le Guen attend the questions to the government session at the National Assembly in Paris May 27, 2014. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

PARIS (Reuters) - A junior minister in French President Francois Hollande's government criticised a U.S. criminal probe against BNP Paribas On 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 on Friday, driving its shares sharply lower.