France – IFRI, December 13, 2024
The hostage diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran refers to a political and diplomatic strategy in which Tehran uses the detention of Western citizens, dual nationals, or Iranian citizens residing in Europe, Australia, or the United States as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. This practice aims to exert pressure in order to obtain political, economic, or diplomatic concessions within Tehran’s strategy known as asymmetric response.
Hostage diplomacy remains a controversial yet effective tool from the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly in a context of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
European efforts to discourage this practice, such as targeted sanctions against Iranian officials involved, have not led to significant progress since the 2000s. This phenomenon highlights the tensions between the national sovereignty demands claimed by Tehran and international norms on human rights and diplomacy.
