Iranian citizen released from French custody returns to homeland

Iranian National Returns Home After Over a Year in French Custody

Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian national, has returned to her home country after being held in France for more than 12 months. According to reports from Iran’s state television, Esfandiari was released on Wednesday and is now back in Iran.

Esfandiari, a graduate of the University of Lyon, had been living in France since 2018 and worked as a translator. She was arrested in February last year on charges related to promoting “terrorism” and was released on bail in October.

In an interview with state television, Esfandiari stated that she believed her court ruling was unjust. Her release comes after French citizens Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris were released from Iranian custody earlier this week.

Kohler and Paris had been held in Iran for over three years before being freed on April 7. They were taken to France’s mission in Tehran, where they lived under house arrest until their full release. The French government stated that the release of Kohler and Paris was the result of a “long-term effort”.

Iran’s state-run agency IRNA had previously reported that an agreement had been reached between Iran and France for Esfandiari’s release in exchange for the French citizens.

Source: Al Jazeera