The Iranian Foreign Ministry has prepared a political-consular package for the exchange of prisoners between Iran and France.
A senior official from the Foreign Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran quoted Abbas Araqchi, the Foreign Minister, saying that Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian citizen imprisoned in France, has been placed in the exchange channel, and we have devised a political and consular package that both countries must implement.
According to Iranian media, Vahid Jalalzadeh, the Deputy for Consular Affairs of the Parliament and Iranian Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, has expressed hope that Mahdieh Esfandiari’s release will happen soon.
Reports indicate that Ms. Esfandiari, an Iranian student residing in Lyon, France, was arrested due to anti-Israeli posts on social media. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister stated that the accusation against this student is related to her activities in a Telegram channel in support of the oppressed people of Gaza and Palestine.
It seems that Iran intends to exchange its citizen with Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, two French citizens imprisoned in Iran on charges of espionage for France and Israel.
On October 14, the Iranian judiciary announced that the two have separately been sentenced to 20 years of exile and 17 years of imprisonment.