TEHRAN – Iran has released two French nationals who had been detained on charges related to national security, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the individuals were released on bail “by order of the presiding judge” and will remain under judicial supervision until the next stage of legal proceedings.

French President Emmanuel Macron later confirmed the development, identifying the two as Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who had been detained in Iran on espionage charges. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Macron said they were “on their way to the French Embassy in Tehran,” describing the move as a “first step” and noting that talks are underway to secure their return to France as soon as possible.

The development comes amid ongoing diplomatic consultations between Tehran and Paris over the case of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian academic and translator who was unlawfully arrested in France for her pro-Palestine online activities.

On October 21, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahid Jalalzadeh said Esfandiari’s case had been included in a political and consular package proposed by Tehran to facilitate her release. He noted that Esfandiari had been detained in France “without any legitimate reason,” emphasizing that her arrest was a violation of human rights and reflected the West’s double standards regarding freedom of expression.

Esfandiari, a 39-year-old university lecturer residing in Lyon, was arrested by French police for posting content on a Telegram channel condemning the Israeli regime’s crimes in Gaza. Reports suggest France detained her in order to facilitate the release of its two spies. 

On October 22, Baqaei announced that Esfandiari had been granted conditional release, explaining that she would be transferred from prison to supervised residence pending trial. He welcomed the French judiciary’s move and expressed hope that the process would lead to her full acquittal.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated that Esfandiari’s arrest was “arbitrary and politically motivated,” stressing that the Islamic Republic continues to follow up on her case through diplomatic and legal channels.