Iran’s Foreign Ministry has censured the months-long arrest of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian citizen and university lecturer in France, as a form of “hostage-taking” by the French judiciary.
Esfandiari has since February 28 been held in a detention facility in the suburbs of Paris after publishing messages on a Telegram channel in condemnation of Israel’s ongoing genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip.
“We consider the arrest of Mahdieh Esfandiari by the French judiciary and security apparatus to be judicial hostage-taking. This is an inhumane act, and we are pursuing her release with full strength and determination,” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary, and Expatriate Affairs Vahid Jalalzadeh said on Sunday.
Jalalzadeh stressed that the charges appear to stem from her “supportive activities related to the cause of the Palestinian people and the oppressed people of Gaza.”
The Iranian Foreign Ministry official emphasized that despite repeated diplomatic and legal efforts, “no solid legal evidence” has been presented against Esfandiari to date.
“From the first day of her arrest, we lodged formal protests with the French Foreign Ministry, summoned the French ambassador and deputy ambassador in Tehran, and expressed our strong objection to this arbitrary detention,” he said.
Jalalzadeh added that Iran’s ambassador in Paris as well as consular officials had met with the 35-year-old Iranian national several times in prison and assured her of the Islamic Republic’s full support.
“We have provided her with a lawyer, who remains in close contact with both Esfandiari and her family. We are also maintaining constant communication with her family, and I personally met with them to address their concerns,” he added.
Jalalzadeh also said two residential properties in Lyon and Paris have been offered as guarantees for her temporary release, but the French court has so far rejected the proposal.
Responding to speculation about a possible court ruling against Esfandiari, the official underlined, “No verdict has been issued yet. We are working tirelessly to ensure that the court ultimately rules in favor of her release.”
Jalalzadeh rebuked France for what he called a double standard, saying, “The French, who pride themselves on being a cradle of democracy, have unfortunately taken this unlawful and politically motivated action.”
The official reiterated that Tehran views Esfandiari’s detention as a clear violation of human rights and a politically-charged misuse of judicial procedures.
According to her friends and family, her house was thoroughly searched by security personnel on February 28, turning the incident into something eerily resembling a kidnapping.
For two days following her arrest, no information about her whereabouts was disclosed. It was only after persistent follow-ups by her friends and family that they learnt she was in police custody.
Esfandiari was subsequently transferred to Fresnes prison, located 470 kilometers away near the capital, Paris. This considerable distance has made it extremely difficult for her family and friends to pursue her case or provide her with any form of support.
She happens to be a linguist with a degree in French language from Lumiere University and has lived in the French city of Lyon for the past eight years. She works as a professor, translator, and interpreter at the Lumiere University.
