Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei provided the information on Tuesday, saying the detainees have been released “by the order of the presiding judge.”
The duo, he added, “will remain under supervision pending the next stage of judicial proceedings.”
French President Emanuel Macron confirmed the development, identifying the two as Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who had been held in Iran on espionage charges.
They are now “on their way to the French embassy in Tehran,” Macron wrote on X.
He welcomed this “first step” and stated talks were underway to ensure their return to France as “quickly as possible.”
On October 21, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Vahid Jalalzadeh said Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian academic illegally imprisoned in France over pro-Palestine social media posts, had been included in a prisoner exchange plan.
Tehran came up with a political and consular package that both countries were to implement to expedite the release of Esfandiari, who had been arbitrarily detained in the European country for speaking out against the Israeli regime’s genocide in Gaza, the official noted at the time.
The 39-year-old Iranian translator and university lecturer residing in Lyon was arrested by the French police over her activity on a pro-Palestine Telegram channel.
On October 22, Baghaei announced that Esfandiari had been granted conditional release.
He welcomed Paris’ move, and noted that Esfandiari would be transferred from prison to a residence outside the detention facility following issuance of the verdict and would remain under supervision until her trial is held.
Late last month, Baghaei added the Islamic Republic was pursuing finalization of her verdict, while asserting that the academic’s arrest took place “without any legitimate reason” and constitutes a case of arbitrary detention.
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