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French Tourist Freed After 887 Days in Iranian Jail as Macron Demands More Releases. A French tourist detained in Iran for over two years has been released and returned home, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Thursday. Olivier Grondeau, 34, was arrested in southern Iran in October 2022 and sentenced to five years for “conspiracy against the Islamic republic” — charges his family has consistently denied. Macron shared on X that Grondeau is now "free" and with his family, adding: "We share his family's immense happiness and relief.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted a photo of Grondeau on the plane home, writing: “Held hostage in Iran for 887 days, he has been reunited with his family, loved ones, and his country.” Grondeau, speaking publicly for the first time since his detention, said he was “held hostage” and had travelled to Iran on a tourist visa as part of a world tour. Two other French citizens, teacher Cecile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris, remain imprisoned in Iran since May 2022, accused of inciting protests — allegations their families deny. Macron has renewed calls for their release, stating: “Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris must be freed from Iranian prisons.” Rights groups say Iran routinely detains tourists and dual nationals for use as diplomatic leverage, only releasing them in exchange for concessions. Other Western nationals, including a British couple and an Italian journalist, have also recently faced imprisonment in Iran under espionage charges.
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