French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the “lies of the Iranian authorities” in the face of the “unacceptable” arrest of French citizens. McCrom promised that French diplomacy would continue “to fight to free them”
The Islamic Republic of Iran is holding more than a dozen French and other Western nationals on charges of espionage or acts against its security. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the arrests and said that Iran’s words are “lies” in view of the “unacceptable” arrest of French citizens.
Macron said in an interview with the newspaper The Parisian Because after the arrest of several French citizens “many lies were told”. He stated that French people who went to Iran came there for academic or other reasons and added that “there is nothing that justifies their imprisonment, it is not acceptable in our eyes”, and promised that French diplomacy will continue to “fight to free them”.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has arrested at least seven French citizens on various charges, including “espionage for foreign intelligence services”, France says the arrests are pressure on Europe to ease sanctions against Iran.
Iran denies any policy of taking hostages and insists that all foreigners were arrested for a justified reason and tried, but all these trials are held without transparency and due process. Macron also said: “I am putting very strong pressure on the Iranian president so that they respect the rights of the detainees and approve consular visits. But above all it is important that we see them released as soon as possible.”