"Iran has released two French nationals imprisoned for more than three years on spying charges their families rejected, French President Emmanuel Macron has said, though it remains uncertain when they would be allowed to return home. Expressing immense relief, Macron said on X on Wednesday that Cecile Kohler, 41, and her partner Jacques Paris, 72 the last French citizens officially known to be held in Iran had been released from Evin prison in northern Tehran and were on their way to the French embassy."
"Both teachers, although Paris is retired, were among a number of Europeans caught up in what activists and some Western governments, including France, describe as a deliberate strategy of hostage-taking by Iran to extract concessions from the West. Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said they had been granted conditional release on bail by the judge in charge of the case and will be placed under surveillance until the next stage of the judicial proceedings."
Cecile Kohler, 41, and Jacques Paris, 72, were released from Evin prison after being detained since May 2022 on spying charges their families rejected. The pair were transferred to the French embassy and reported to be in good health at the French ambassador's residence. Iran said they were granted conditional release on bail and would remain under surveillance pending further judicial proceedings. France described the detentions as unjustified and said talks were under way to secure their return. The detentions occurred amid accusations of deliberate hostage-taking and heightened tensions following recent regional conflict and UN sanctions.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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