The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs isextremely worriedof the state of health of Bernard Phelan, a Franco-Irish detained since October 2022 in Iran, said his spokesperson, Anne-Claire Legendre, confirming his identity.
His state of health isfragile and requires appropriate medical monitoring which is not provided in his place of detention“, she lamented. Bernard Phelan’s sister, Caroline Massé-Phelan, told AFP that her brother had started a thirst strike on Monday January 17 when he had already been on a hunger strike since the beginning of the year. “He’s already not well. He lost weight“, she confided, noting that their 97-year-old father and herself were “extremely worried“.
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A convict who “adored Iran”
For her, this situation is all the more incomprehensible as her 64-year-old brother, “loved iran“. “He worked for tour operators, brought tourists to Iran“. He was arrested while he was inStudy trip“, she explained. “He was not judgedbut was arrested on the pretext that he was making anti-Iranian regime propaganda, she said.
The Quai d’Orsaymultiplies, in liaison with the Irish government, the steps taken with Iran“for Bernard Phelan to be released”without delay“, assured his side Anne-Claire Legendre. “We confirm that Bernard Phelan, a Franco-Irish national, is one of our seven compatriots arbitrarily detained by the Iranian authorities.“, she also clarified.
Franco-Irish coordination
Last week, the Quai d’Orsay declined to comment. It was the Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs which had confirmed that Bernard Phelan had been detained in Iran since October. On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Irish ministry repeated that it was bringing “consular assistance in close coordination with France“. “This case has also been brought directly to the Iranian authorities.“, he added.
According to him, the current situation of Bernard Phelan “pleads for his urgent release on humanitarian grounds“. The families of the seven French detainees are worried as the winter makes the conditions of detention increasingly difficult. An icy cold reigns in the cells.
Innocents used
The French nationals are among dozens of Westerners detained in Iran. Their supporters describe them as innocents used by the Revolutionary Guards as leverage in Iran’s relations with the West. Iran and the major powers are trying to resuscitate a 2015 international agreement that aims to ensure the civilian character of Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran is accused, despite its denials, of seeking to acquire atomic weapons.
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Iran argues that all foreigners are detained under its domestic laws and has said it is open to prisoner swaps. Many countries have asked their nationals to avoid traveling to Iran where arbitrary arrests have multiplied since the demonstrations provoked by the death on September 16 of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, after her arrest by the morality police.
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