French Nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris Released from Iranian Detention After Nearly Four Years
French President Emmanuel Macron announces the release of Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris from detention in Iran, ending their nearly four-year imprisonment on espionage charges.
- • Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris detained in Iran since May 2022 have been released from Evin prison.
- • Both faced severe espionage charges and long prison sentences, including accusations of cooperation with Israeli intelligence.
- • They are currently on their way to the French embassy in Tehran as confirmed by Emmanuel Macron.
- • Their lawyers call the release a new beginning and vow to seek justice for their arbitrary detention.
Key details
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on November 4, 2025, that Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, detained in Iran since May 2022, have been released from Evin prison and are currently en route to the French embassy in Tehran. The two had been arrested at the end of a tourist trip and were the last French citizens held in Iran.
Kohler was sentenced to ten years and Paris to six years in prison, with additional sentences related to espionage charges. Specifically, they faced severe accusations including espionage on behalf of French intelligence, conspiracy against national security, and cooperation with Israeli intelligence. Kohler received a sentence totaling twenty years of "prison en exil" for alleged collaboration with Israel, while Paris was sentenced to seventeen years for complicity in espionage.
President Macron expressed relief at their release and emphasized the ongoing diplomatic dialogue to ensure their swift return to France. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Kohler and Paris have arrived at the residence of France in Tehran, where they await their definitive release.
Lawyers for Kohler and Paris hailed this development as a new beginning for the detainees, highlighting the end of their 1,277-day arbitrary detention and pledging legal action to seek justice for the violations against their clients' rights during their imprisonment.
This breakthrough comes amid heightened diplomatic efforts between France and Iran to secure the freedom of its nationals detained abroad. The release is seen as a significant step, sparking hope for the eventual repatriation of Kohler and Paris to French soil.
According to Macron, the French government remains committed to continuing dialogues to ensure their swift return from Tehran to France, signaling an important advance in resolving a long-standing and sensitive international issue.