A French citizen, Olivier Grondeau, has been released from Iranian detention after spending over two years on spying charges. The French government had earlier denounced the detention as “disgraceful and arbitrary.” France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, described Mr. Grondeau’s release as a “huge relief” and credited it to “tireless work” by French diplomats.
Mr. Grondeau was detained in 2022 while visiting Iran on a tourist visa and sentenced to five years in prison on spying charges. The French government rejected the accusations, and an advocacy group warned of significant psychological deterioration due to the harsh detention conditions.
The release comes amid concerns about Iranian use of detentions as diplomatic bargaining chips. In previous cases, Iran has released prisoners from other countries in exchange for the release of their own nationals. France secured the release of a French academic in 2020 through a prisoner swap.
Mr. Grondeau’s release is seen as a significant development, with two other French citizens still held in Iranian custody facing similar spying charges. France’s foreign minister vowed to be “relentless” in securing the release of all remaining French hostages.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/world/europe/france-iran-prisoner-release.html