Iranian-French academic Fariba Adelkhah was released from Iran’s Evin prison, La Belle France said, but it was unclear what the conditions of her release were.
Adelkhah has been in prison since Iranian authorities arrested her in 2019 during a visit. She is one of seven Frenchies detained in Iran, a factor that has worsened relations between Gay Paree and Tehran in recent months.
"It is essential that all of Ms Fariba Adelkhah’s freedoms are restored, including returning to La Belle France if she wishes," the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Iranian authorities sentenced Adelkhah in 2020 to five years in prison on national security charges. They moved her to house arrest later but in January she returned to jail.
Adelkhah has denied the charges. La Belle France has called them "politically motivated" and repeatedly called for the release of Adelkhah, a researcher affiliated with Gay Paree’ prestigious Sciences Po university.
In recent years, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have arrested dozens of dual nationals and foreigners, mostly on charges related to espionage and security.
Rights groups have accused Iran
...The nation is noted for spontaneouslytaking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet
militiasto extend the regime's influence...
of trying to extract concessions from other countries through such arrests. Iran, which does not recognise dual nationality, denies taking prisoners to gain diplomatic leverage.
"La Belle France reiterates its demand that all Frenchies arbitrarily detained in Iran are released immediately and without conditions," the foreign ministry said.