Paris – Public Sénat, April 09, 2025
While speaking before the Senate, Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that France and Europe will increase “pressure” on Iran to secure the release of the last remaining “state hostages” held by Tehran. As the Iranian nuclear deal is set to expire in the coming months, the minister also warned that its non-renewal could lead to “military confrontation.”
Just over three weeks after the release of Olivier Grondeau, who was arbitrarily detained in Iran for 887 days, tensions remain high between Paris and Tehran. On Wednesday, April 9, the Foreign Minister urged French nationals not to travel to Iran.
“I take advantage of my widely covered appearance before this commission to call on all our compatriots, all French nationals, not to travel to Iran, and for those currently in Iran to return to France, to leave the country in order to avoid the risk of being arbitrarily detained or taken hostage in turn,” said Jean-Noël Barrot during a hearing before the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
It is worth noting that France Diplomatie, the travel advisory platform of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, has advised against travel to Iran since October.
The arbitrary detention of foreign tourists is regularly condemned as a form of “hostage diplomacy” used by the Iranian regime. On Wednesday, the French Foreign Minister again referred to “state hostages” in reference to two French nationals still officially detained in Evin Prison in Tehran: Cécile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris, arrested in May 2022 on charges of “espionage.”
