Two French people have been arrested in Iran, the French Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday, calling for their “immediate release”.
The day before, the Iranian authorities had reported the arrest of two Europeans, claiming that they had “entered the country with the aim of triggering chaos and destabilizing society”.
In a statement, the Quai d’Orsay said it had been “informed of the arrest of two French nationals”, without specifying their identity. “The French authorities are fully mobilized” and “the ambassador in Tehran has taken steps with the Iranian authorities to obtain consular access”, added the ministry. And the charge d’affaires of the Iranian embassy in Paris has also been summoned to the ministry.
The Iranian regime is holding several foreign nationals prisoner, for reasons deemed political by Western countries, which consider that Tehran is using it as a means of pressure.
Iran has held Benjamin Brière in particular since May 2020. The Frenchman was sentenced last January to eight years in prison for “espionage” for having taken photographs of “prohibited areas”. He claims to have only done tourism and taken pictures in this context.