“The situation of our compatriots held hostage in Iran is simply unacceptable,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Tuesday called on French nationals not to travel to Iran until “complete liberation” French prisoners in this country.
“The situation of our compatriots hostages in Iran is simply unacceptable: they have been detained unjustly for several years, in unworthy conditions”declared the minister during the conference of ambassadors, calling on the French “not to go to Iran”, “until the complete liberation of our hostages »which are officially three in number. He added that Paris did not forget them “just one second”.
Our bilateral relations and the future of sanctions depend on it
Jean-Noel Barrot
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“Since the election of the president Pezeshkian and despite our efforts to engage at the highest level, their situation has deteriorated”continued Barrot. “I tell the Iranian authorities: our hostages must be released. Our bilateral relations and the future of sanctions depend on it. And until the complete release of our hostages, I ask our compatriots not to go to Iran.he said.
A French couple, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, have been detained in Iran since May 2022 and accused by the authorities of“espionage”which their relatives deny. A third Frenchman, named Olivier but whose last name has not been made public, has also been detained in Iran since 2022. Paris describes these prisoners as“state hostages”.
Iran, which detains several Western or binational nationals, is accused by their supporters and NGOs of using them as a bargaining chip in state-to-state negotiations. A young Italian journalist, Cecila Sala, was arrested in Tehran on December 19 during a professional trip. Iran accuses him of having “breaks the laws”. Rome denounced an arrest “unacceptable”.
