France ‘concerned’ about health of French-Irish citizen held in Iran

The ministry of foreign affairs in Paris has called for the immediate release of French-Irish citizen Bernard Phelan who has been detained in Iran since October last year, Anadolu has reported.

According to the ministry yesterday, Phelan is one of seven French citizens who were arrested “arbitrarily” by the Iranian authorities. The authorities in Paris are “concerned” about his health and fate because it is not clear if the Iranian authorities are following up on his medical condition.

The French authorities are in talks with the Irish government to help secure Phelan’s immediate release. The government in Tehran has not made any comment about his case.

Iran announced last May that it had detained two French citizens on suspicion of spying. Footage of them was broadcast on state television on 6 October, when it was claimed that they “work for the French intelligence service”. At the time, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna announced that seven French citizens were detained in Iran.

READ: Iran and Britain history of strained relations