Paris Negotiates with Tehran Regarding the Detention of French Citizen in Kish

Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, announced on Wednesday, February 20, that he has contacted officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the status of a detained French citizen in Kish. According to Reuters, the French Foreign Minister stated that Nelly Eran Cambroul, a 59-year-old businesswoman from Martinique, was arrested on Kish Island four months ago. A campaign has been launched to collect the necessary bail for Ms. Nelly Eran. According to the report, Nelly Eran Cambroul traveled to Kish for business purposes. Jean-Yves Le Drian said: "She went to Kish Island, which is a well-known Iranian area near Dubai. She has been imprisoned since October 21, 2018, due to signing an illegal contract and also for staying in Iran without permission." Reuters reports that last week, Patricia Grou Dezir Dicano, a friend of Nelly Eran Cambroul, stated in an interview with a local media outlet in Martinique that her friend was arrested on charges of illegal gold trading. According to her, Nelly Eran Cambroul traveled to Kish to sign a contract regarding precious stones. Patricia Grou Dezir Dicano also mentioned that Iranian authorities are demanding $45,000 (40,000 euros) in bail. However, Jean-Yves Le Drian stated that officials from the consular section of the French embassy in Iran have "met with her several times and closely monitored her situation." The French Foreign Minister added: "We are in contact with her family and Iranian officials to ensure her conditions improve while respecting the legal process." Jean-Yves Le Drian also mentioned: "In the last meeting our consul had with her, which recently took place in February, this citizen of ours did not have any complaints regarding her detention conditions, and her mental and physical state seemed good. I cannot say more than this." Meanwhile, an online campaign to raise the necessary bail for Ms. Nelly Eran has begun, and as of Wednesday, 1,200 euros have been collected for her. Reuters notes that relations between France and Iran have been tense over the past six months due to disputes over the two countries' commitments to the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA. In this context, following the issue of the "failed bombing plot at a recent gathering of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization and its allies" in Paris, France announced that it would not introduce a new ambassador to Tehran. The French ambassador left Iran last summer, and Iran is also expected to send a new ambassador to Paris. In this regard, France expelled an Iranian diplomat in connection with the "failed bombing plot," and the European Union supported France's action in sanctioning assets belonging to Iran's Ministry of Intelligence. Albania expelled "an ambassador and an Iranian diplomat" for security reasons. The French Foreign Minister arrived in Tehran amidst severe government repression and the risk of protests becoming "underground."