Overview

• Olivier Grondeau, detained in Iran since October 2022 on espionage charges, has been released and is now back in France.
• The French government has not disclosed the conditions of his release but has condemned Iran's practice of detaining foreign nationals as 'hostage diplomacy.'
• Grondeau spent part of his imprisonment in Evin Prison, known for its harsh conditions and treatment of detainees.
• Other French nationals, including Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, remain imprisoned in Iran, with France continuing diplomatic efforts for their release.
• Human rights organizations accuse Iran of using foreign detainees as leverage in international negotiations, a practice drawing widespread criticism.