Iran will allow two French nationals detained for over three years to return home in exchange for an Iranian citizen currently facing trial in France, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Wednesday.

Speaking to France 24 after a meeting in Paris with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot, Araghchi stated, “An exchange was negotiated between us and France.”

French citizens Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, arrested in May 2022, were released from prison earlier this month. However, they remain at the French embassy in Tehran, awaiting permission to leave the Islamic Republic.

"There has been an agreement and indeed, we are waiting for the entire legal and judicial process to take place in both countries," Araghchi confirmed.  “I hope, I think, that in the next two months... it will be completed and the exchange will take place,” he added.

Esfandiari’s trial and conditional release

The Iranian national involved in the proposed exchange, Mahdieh Esfandiari, was arrested in France in February 2025 on allegations of promoting “terrorism” via social media, according to French authorities.

Although she is scheduled to stand trial in Paris starting January 13, she was released on bail last month and is currently residing at the Iranian embassy in the French capital.

Meanwhile, France has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of a prisoner exchange agreement. However, on October 6, both Iran and France indicated that progress had been made in talks aimed at securing the release of the French citizens held in Iran on charges of spying for “Israel”, in exchange for the release of an Iranian national detained in France, reflecting ongoing diplomatic negotiations between the two countries.

According to Araghchi, “The verdict has been issued [against Kohler and Paris], but based on Iranian law, prisoners can be exchanged in the interest of national security, and the exchange process is decided within the framework of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.”

The Kohler-Paris case

Relations between Iran and France have experienced tension in recent years.

Cécile Kohler and her partner, Jacques Paris, were arrested in 2022, with Iranian authorities stating that the couple had committed acts that threatened national security. The Iranian judiciary reported that the couple were working for the French Intelligence Services and had cooperative ties to "Israel".

Kohler and Paris were held in Evin Prison in Tehran, a facility used to detain individuals facing security-related charges. French officials repeatedly demanded their release, while Iranian officials emphasized the independence of the judiciary. The case unfolded alongside broader geopolitical dynamics and heightened scrutiny of foreign activities in the country.

By late 2023, both governments acknowledged ongoing talks to resolve the issue. Reports suggested that these discussions might involve a possible exchange with an Iranian citizen detained in France. While no formal agreement was announced, the statements marked a shift toward resolving the matter diplomatically. 

Read more: Iran, France report progress in prisoner exchange negotiations