France – Le Monde, Jan. 13, 2026
The Iranian woman is being tried alongside four other people, including the far-right essayist and repeat offender Alain Soral, who is the subject of an arrest warrant. Ms. Esfandiari is appearing on charges of glorifying an act of terrorism committed online, following statements praising October 7.
The trial of Iranian national Mahdieh Esfandiari for glorification of terrorism—seen as a possible bargaining chip with Tehran in exchange for the French citizens Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris—opened on Tuesday, January 13, at the Paris criminal court.
Paris.
“I am here today (…) I will finally be able to speak about the facts, because there have been many inaccurate stories about me in the media, and many lies,” the defendant told the press outside the courtroom just before the trial began. At her side, one of her lawyers, Nabil Boudi, said that she was expecting “to be fully cleared of all charges.”
The 39-year-old Iranian woman is being tried together with four other people, including far-right essayist Alain Soral, a repeat offender who was absent and is the subject of a warrant for his arrest. Two other men also failed to appear at the hearing, which began with procedural matters.
Ms. Esfandiari is charged with glorifying an act of terrorism committed online after remarks praising October 7; direct online incitement to commit an act of terrorism (offenses punishable by up to seven years in prison and a €100,000 fine); online public insult on the grounds of origin, ethnicity, nationality, race, or religion; and criminal conspiracy. She denies the accusations.
