Olivier Grondeau, a French citizen detained by Iran since October 2022, has been released. His release was confirmed by French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron confirmed Grondeau’s release, saying, “Grondeau, 34, has been freed and reunited with his loved ones,” Macron said in a message on Twitter.
He also said that efforts were being made to secure the release of other citizens in Iran, adding, “Our efforts to secure the release of the other two French citizens detained by Iran will continue. There will be no letup.” Macron did not provide further details about the circumstances of Grondau’s release after nearly 900 days of ordeal.
The other two French citizens in Iran are teacher Cecile Kohler and her friend Jacques Paris. They were arrested in May 2022. They have been accused of trying to incite labor unrest, a charge denied by their families.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barot said in a statement on X, posting a photo of Grondau on board the plane he was flying home, saying, “‘After 887 days held hostage in Iran, Grondau has been reunited with his family, loved ones and his country. This is a great relief.
Grondau was arrested in Shiraz, southern Iran, in October 2022 and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of ‘conspiracy against Iran.’ His family denies the charges, describing Grondau as a passionate admirer of Persian poetry. He was in Iran on a tourist visa during a world tour, a family source said.
Western countries have accused Iran of holding its citizens hostage for years. France has described its citizens in Iran as “government hostages” who are being arbitrarily detained. France says the charges against them are baseless and that its citizens are innocent.
Until earlier this year, Grondau was identified only by his first name, but his full identity was revealed by his family in January. In an audio message broadcast by French media at the time, Grondau said he and two other French prisoners in Iran were “tired of life in detention” and their strength was “running out”.
“Grondau, who will turn 35 next week, has been receiving treatment in a French hospital since returning home and has been particularly psychologically weak in recent months,” a government source told AFP on condition of anonymity. It was not immediately clear when he would return to France.
“Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris must be released from Iranian prison,” Macron said in a message on Thursday. Kohler’s family has warned that they risk being killed if they are not released, amid growing concerns about the health of two other French citizens held in Iran.
