Iran citizen held in France over pro-Palestine comments returns home
Al Jazeera·1d ago·Neutral
What Happened
Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian national, returned to Iran after being detained in France for over one year. She was arrested in February 2024 on charges of promoting terrorism following online comments supporting Palestine and the 2023 Hamas attack. Her release followed the April return of two French citizens, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, from Iranian detention. Both cases appear linked as part of a detainee exchange between France and Iran.
Key Entities
Mahdieh EsfandiariFranceIranCecile KohlerJacques ParisEmmanuel MacronPalestineHamas