In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a French citizen named Olivier Grondeau, who had been imprisoned in Iran for over 880 days, has been released, according to French officials. This comes at a time when France and other European countries are attempting to negotiate with Iran regarding its nuclear program.

The release of Grondeau coincides with U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to initiate talks with Iran. Trump has also been pressuring Iran over its support for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, while the American military has intensified its airstrikes against the group.

Grondeau’s detention had been linked to political motivations. In January, when he went public with his story, he mentioned being imprisoned indefinitely due to one government’s attempt to exert pressure on another. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Grondeau’s release without providing details, but it happened on Nowruz, the Persian New Year, when Iran has previously released prisoners.

While the Iranian government did not acknowledge Grondeau’s release, it is common for such releases in Iran to be linked to some form of exchange. Grondeau’s release may have been in response to France arresting an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians, as mentioned by Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Grondeau’s detention began in October 2022 during the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died after being arrested by authorities for not wearing a headscarf properly. Grondeau described his time in prison, including being held in solitary confinement for 72 days and being subjected to constant questioning.

An Iranian court later sentenced him to five years in prison on espionage charges, which he and the French government denied. He was held at Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, a facility often used by Iran to hold Westerners and political prisoners as bargaining chips in negotiations with Western countries.

Source: https://time.com/7269771/olivier-grondeau-macron-france-tehran-iran-hostage-freed/