French Hostage in Iran Breaks Silence, Highlighting Tehran's 'Hostage Diplomacy'

Olivier Grondeau, detained since 2022, speaks out as European nations grapple with Iran's use of foreign prisoners for political leverage.

Olivier Grondeau, a French national detained in Iran since October 2022, has publicly called for international action to secure his release and that of two other French hostages, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris.
Iran has been accused of leveraging foreign detainees as political bargaining tools, a strategy that has drawn global criticism but yielded results for Tehran in past negotiations.
European leaders face limited options to address these detentions, as Iran seeks to avoid further sanctions and maintain influence in ongoing nuclear talks with Western powers.
Recent prisoner exchanges, including the release of an Italian journalist and an Iranian detained in Europe, underscore the transactional nature of Tehran's approach to diplomacy.
The detentions occur against the backdrop of Iran's deepening alliances with Russia and North Korea, raising concerns about regional stability and nuclear proliferation risks.