Concerns of Bernard Phelan’s Family, an Imprisoned Citizen in Iran
The family of Bernard Phelan, a 64-year-old citizen from the Republic of Ireland who has been imprisoned in Iran for the past three months, has expressed concern about his situation.
According to the Irish Times, he traveled to Iran with his French passport and is likely one of the seven French nationals who have been detained in Iran over the past three months.
Based on this report, he has denied all charges against him, including taking photos of Iranian security officers, and according to his sister, he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
His family believes that his arrest is part of a political dispute between the French and Iranian governments regarding the recent crackdown on protests in Iran.
Caroline Masse Phelan, his sister, told the Irish Times that he usually travels with his Irish passport, but this time he thought he would receive an Iranian visa faster with his French passport.