Officials say that Iran is launching the French citizen after two years of detention

The French government said on Thursday that a French citizen spent more than two years in detention in Iran for spying was issued this week.

President Emmanuel Macron of France had earlier condemned Iran’s detention of the man, Olivier Grondo, 34, and other French citizens “disgraceful and arbitrary”.

Jean Nawil Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs in France, on Thursday The launch of Mr. Gondo described as “great satisfaction” She was the result of the French “precise work” of the French diplomats, although it is not clear that it is exactly.

Western countries accused Iran People detention for their use as diplomatic bargaining chips To pressure the release of Iranian prisoners abroad or to free frozen money.

In January, an Iranian engineer detained by Italy at the request of an American delivery It was released Soon after Iran Italian journalist released From prison. As part of a Plated prisoner In 2020, France obtained an academic edition that was detained in Iran for national security.

Mr. Grondo was arrested in October 2022 during Iran’s visit with a tourist visa. In February of last year, the Iranian authorities sentenced him to five years in prison for espionage – accusations that Mr. Gondo and the French government have strongly refused.

In January, French radio published an audio recording From the Sayyid Grondo prison cell in Tehran. In the registration, Mr. Grondo said that he and others were held in Iran who were “at the heart of political extortion that we have nothing to do with, and leave us at the end of our intelligence.”

A group of support created to secure his release He said at that time Mr. Grondo was facing a “great deterioration of his psychological health” and that the conditions of detention were “destroying HM a little more every day.”

Monday evening, Footage filmed by the broadcaster TF1 Mr. Grondo showed that he arrived at Le Burgih Airport, north of Paris, where Mr. Barrot received him.

Mr. Macron He said on x“We share the joy of his high family and comfort.”

Two other French citizens have been arrested in the Iranian reservation, Cecil Kuller and Jack Paris, nearly three years ago for similar espionage. On Thursday, Mr. Barrot pledged that France would be “uncomfortable in our efforts to secure the issuance of all our citizens are still hostage.”