The detention of seven French citizens in Iran is “unjustifiable and unacceptable”, France said on Thursday, and it called for their immediate release.
Among the detainees is French-Irish citizen Bernard Phelan, who was detained in October 2022 and last week suspended a dry hunger strike at the request of his family. A dry hunger strike is one in which the striker refuses both food and water.
The French demand comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and European nations including the UK, after the execution of British-Iranian citizen Ali Reza Akbari who was convicted of spying.
France described the seven citizens as “hostages”.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre has said that she is very concerned about Mr Phelan's poor health.
“We are especially worried about Bernard Phelan given his health condition,” Ms Legendre said, adding that Mr Phelan needs “appropriate medical care that is not provided” in prison.
Another detainee, Louis Arnaud, was arrested on September 28 last year as he visited Iran as a tourist, his parents said.
Jean-Michel and Sylvie Arnaud described their 35-year-old son as a “simple citizen of the world”.
“Our son is neither a plotter, nor a spy, nor a villain,” they said. “He's a simple citizen of the world, who wants to travel to better know and understand it.”
Arnaud's parents said he had not “taken part in any protest, nor expressed ideas hostile to Iran, its government or Islam”.
They said they had not heard from him in almost seven weeks, since a brief telephone call in October, and the French ambassador visited him on December 11.
“His very harsh detention conditions and the lack of communication make us fear a very heavy physical and psychological toll,” they said.
Mr Arnaud has been held in the capital's Evin prison.
Iran has detained a number of foreigners and dual nationals over the years, accusing them of espionage or other security offences.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Wednesday discussed the issue in a phone call with her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian, the French Foreign Ministry said.
Iran erupted into protests in September following the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was arrested after wearing her hijab "inappropriately".
According to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights, at least 481 people have been killed in the crackdown and at least 109 people are facing execution in protest-related cases, in addition to the four already put to death.
