Ex French Detainees in Iran Returning to France, Macron Says

Placards featuring images of Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, in Paris in March.Photographer: Martin Lelievre/Getty Images

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By Jenny Che and Eltaf Najafizada

April 7, 2026 at 2:37 PM UTC

Updated on

April 7, 2026 at 5:09 PM UTC

Two French nationals detained in Iran for more than three years are returning to France, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.

Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who were sentenced on espionage and other charges, had been freed from prison in November and released to the French embassy in Tehran, without being allowed to leave the country.