Paris Warns Tehran: Lifting Sanctions Dependent on the Fate of French Prisoners in Iran

France has warned the Islamic Republic officials about the deteriorating situation of its imprisoned citizens in Iran. Jean-Noël Barrault, the French Foreign Minister, emphasized on Tuesday, January 8, that some of the three French prisoners in Iran are being held in conditions he described as 'similar to torture.' He stated that the 'future of bilateral relations' between Paris and Tehran, as well as the 'lifting of sanctions,' is tied to the status of these citizens. Speaking in Paris to his country's ambassadors, the Foreign Minister referred to the detention of the three French citizens in Iran, whom he called 'hostages,' as 'unacceptable and unjust,' describing their conditions as 'humiliating' and in violation of international laws akin to 'torture conditions.' Mr. Barrault stressed that despite interactions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the situation of the three imprisoned French citizens has not changed and may have even 'worsened,' urging Iranian officials that these 'hostages' must be released. The senior French diplomat simultaneously urged his citizens to refrain from traveling to Iran until the three French prisoners are released. Amnesty International has called for the 'immediate release' of Cécile Kohler, a French citizen imprisoned in Iran. Cécile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris have been detained since spring 2022 on charges of 'espionage.' Another French citizen, identified only by his first name, Olivier, has also been imprisoned in Iran since the fall of that year. French officials have not released further details about his identity and case. The French Foreign Minister assured the three prisoners and their families that Paris has 'not forgotten you for a moment.' These three French citizens are not the only European prisoners in Iran. The Islamic Republic does not recognize dual citizenship and has detained several dual-national Iranian-European or Iranian-American citizens, denying them access to consular services by rejecting their dual nationality. Human rights groups refer to these prisoners as 'hostages' that Tehran is trying to use as leverage and bargaining chips in its negotiations with the West. Less than a month ago, Cecilia Sala, a young Italian journalist who was in Iran with a valid press visa, was arrested. Three days before her arrest, Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian-Swiss businessman accused by the U.S. of violating sanctions, was detained at Milan airport at the request of U.S. authorities. Italy has yet to hand over this businessman to U.S. officials, and a spokesman for Iran's judiciary claimed that Ms. Sala's arrest is unrelated to the arrest of this businessman in Italy. However, many observers and human rights activists reject this claim, citing previous examples, and consider Cecilia Sala to be a 'hostage' in Iran with the aim of exchanging her for Mohammad Abedini.