'Immense relief' for families after French couple freed from Iran prison

'Immense Relief' for Families After French Couple Freed from Iran Prison

French citizens Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris have been released from prison in Iran after more than three years in detention, President Emmanuel Macron announced late Tuesday. The couple, previously accused by Tehran of espionage, are now under French protection in the Iranian capital.

“They are on their way to the French embassy in Tehran,” Macron said on X, calling the release “a first step.” He added that talks were ongoing to ensure their return to France “as quickly as possible.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot later confirmed that Kohler and Paris were “in safety at the Residence of France in Tehran, awaiting their definitive release,” noting they “seem to be in good health.”

Kohler, 41, a high school teacher, and Paris, 72, a retired mathematics teacher, were arrested on May 7, 2022, while visiting Iran as tourists. According to their lawyers in Paris, their release ended “an arbitrary detention which lasted 1,277 days.”

Relief for Families

For their families, the release brought long-awaited hope and closure after years of concern and uncertainty.

“From the moment I heard the news, the tears finally came,” said Kohler’s mother, Mireille, speaking to RTL.

Background

The couple had been held in Iran since 2022 under espionage accusations.
They are currently in the Residence of France in Tehran under diplomatic protection.
Efforts are continuing to bring them back to France soon.

Author’s summary: After over three years of imprisonment in Iran, the release of Kohler and Paris sparked immense relief among their families and renewed French diplomatic efforts for their return.

RFI — 2025-11-06