TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has announced that Iranian academic Mahdieh Esfandiari, behind bars in France, has been released on parole. She spent a total 237 days in prison. 

Esfandiari went missing in early March 2025, and her family informed Iranian officials of her disappearance after not hearing from her for an extended period. After remaining tight-lipped for nearly a month, French judicial officials finally broke their silence in early April 2025, confirming her detention.

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office accused her of “glorifying terrorism” and social media-related offenses. In her posts, she condemned the genocide in Gaza and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people. No evidence of wrongdoing has been presented, and the accusations against her lack any factual or legal basis, making the case highly suspicious and suggesting it was neither a standard criminal case nor a genuine civil rights issue.

Iran’s Judiciary spokesperson Asqar Jahangir stated recently that the French government had failed to fulfill its promise to set Esfandiari free. “They had, at one point, stated that if a suitable location were designated, she would be released to be held there. The Iranian Embassy in France complied, but France refused to honor its commitment,” Jahangiri added.

“In our opinion, supporting the Palestinian people and expressing opposition to genocide in Gaza are legitimate moves in line with safeguarding human rights and cannot be considered an offense,” the spokesperson noted.

France’s incarceration of Esfandiari is believed to have been part of a broader campaign to crack down on pro-Palestine and anti-genocide activists. The arbitrary and illegal detention of Iranian academic Esfandiari in France has revealed new dimensions of “double standards” and “political hypocrisy” in the so-called homeland of human rights and freedom of expression.

This particular case transcends an individual matter and has become a global symbol exposing the deceit of Western powers. Before her release on parole, the Iranian national had been detained for several months in a Paris suburb prison without any legal basis.

This news emerged as Paris and Tehran engaged in negotiations for the release of Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris —imprisoned in Iran on espionage charges — in exchange for freeing Esfandiari, the Iranian national falsely accused of “glorifying terrorism.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently stated in a televised interview that an agreement to exchange French prisoners for an Iranian academic was nearing its “final stage.” He reiterated this in a phone call with Esfandiari after her release on parole.