Iran confirmed a major diplomatic development on Tuesday: the release of two French citizens who had been imprisoned for over three years. Cécile Kohler, 41, and her partner, Jacques Paris, 72, were initially arrested in May 2022.
Although the couple maintained they were visiting Iran as tourists, they were later handed down long prison terms following espionage charges.
The French government and the couple’s families have always adamantly rejected the allegations that they worked for intelligence services.
Release on Bail and French Relief
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed “huge relief” via social media after learning of their conditional freedom. A support committee formed on behalf of the couple also conveyed its “immense joy.”
France’s foreign minister confirmed on Tuesday that the two individuals were “safe.” They are currently under protection at the French embassy in Tehran, marking a key step “ahead of their final release” from the country. The minister reported that the couple seemed relieved and were in good mental and physical condition.
An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, confirmed the conditional release was granted on bail. He added that the two teachers would remain “under supervision until the next judicial stage.” The specific timeline for Kohler and Paris’s return to France remains uncertain.
Context of Prisoner Exchanges
Kohler and Paris were among dozens of foreign and dual nationals arrested by Iran over recent years. These detentions are frequently based on allegations of spying.
Western governments have repeatedly accused Tehran of using foreign nationals as political leverage, a charge Iran denies.
This release follows several diplomatic maneuvers. In September, Paris withdrew a case it had filed before the International Court of Justice.
That case accused Iran of violating the couple’s right to consular protection. At the time, Iran’s foreign minister suggested that the two countries were nearing a prisoner swap agreement.
In October, a Paris court granted conditional release to Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian student living in Lyon who was facing charges in France. Tehran had been pressing Paris for months to release her.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed she was placed under judicial supervision and barred from leaving French territory. Esfandiari, arrested in February, faces trial in Paris in January on charges of “inciting terrorism online.”
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