Iran has released French citizen Olivier Grondeau, who had been detained since October 2022 on security charges, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced.
Macron confirmed on Thursday that Grondeau, 34, has returned to France.
“He is free and with his loved ones,” he wrote on X without providing further details about the circumstances surrounding Grondeau’s release.
His release coincided with Nowruz, the Persian New Year—a time when Iran has released foreign prisoners in the past.
Grondeau was arrested in Shiraz, southern Iran, and sentenced to five years in prison for “conspiracy against the Islamic Republic.”
The French president also said his government would work to secure the release of two other French citizens, Cecile Kohler, a teacher, and her partner, Jacques Paris. The pair were detained in May 2022 on charges of attempting to incite protests in Iran.
Grondeau’s release comes at a time when France and other European countries are seeking to hold negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
