Macron Announces Release of French Citizens Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris from Iran
- French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the release of Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, two French nationals who had been detained in Iran for more than three years.
- The announcement followed confirmation from France's foreign minister that the pair were safe at the French embassy in Tehran before their final departure.
- Cécile Kohler, 41, and her partner Jacques Paris, 72, were arrested in May 2022 during a tourist trip to Iran.
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the release of Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, two French nationals who had been detained in Iran for more than three years. The couple, who were held in Evin prison, are currently on their way back to France.
The announcement followed confirmation from France’s foreign minister that the pair were safe
at the French embassy in Tehran before their final departure. Macron described the release as a first step
and stated that dialogue continues to ensure their return to France as quickly as possible.
Detention and Legal Proceedings
Cécile Kohler, 41, and her partner Jacques Paris, 72, were arrested in May 2022 during a tourist trip to Iran. Their legal team stated that the release ended an arbitrary detention which lasted 1,277 days
. Their families have consistently maintained that the couple is entirely innocent.
Prior to their release, Iranian state media reported that the pair had been found guilty of spying on behalf of both France and Israel. They were subsequently handed lengthy prison sentences by the Iranian judiciary.
France has previously accused Iran of practicing state hostage-taking and maintaining detainees in conditions comparable to torture, allegations that Tehran has denied.
The Prisoner Exchange Agreement
The release of Kohler and Paris was part of a broader agreement to exchange detainees between the two nations. This development follows statements from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who indicated that a deal to exchange French detainees for an Iranian woman held in France was nearly complete.
The Iranian woman involved in the arrangement, Mahdieh Esfandiari, had been held in France since February on charges related to promoting terrorism on social media. French authorities released Esfandiari conditionally last month as part of the negotiations leading to the freedom of the French nationals.
Kohler and Paris are believed to be the last French nationals held in Iran.