PARIS, FRANCE – In a move that has deepened tensions between Paris and Tehran, an Iranian court has sentenced two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, to 31 and 32 years in prison on charges of espionage and collaboration with Israel’s intelligence service, according to reports from Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency.
Harsh Sentences for Alleged Spying
Kohler and Paris, who have been detained since May 2022, were accused of spying for France and assisting Israeli intelligence. The court handed Kohler 31 years in prison and Paris 32, following separate counts of espionage, conspiracy against national security, and aiding a foreign intelligence agency. Both defendants have denied the allegations and are expected to appeal the decision.
Iranian authorities claim one defendant received six years for spying for France, five for conspiring against national security, and 20 years for assisting Israel. The other was sentenced to 10, 5, and 17 years, respectively, under the exact charges. The offenses, under Iranian law, could have warranted the death penalty.
Diplomatic Outcry from Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot have repeatedly condemned the detentions, describing them as politically motivated and “arbitrary.” They have accused Iran of denying the pair fundamental consular rights and holding them under conditions comparable to psychological torture in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.
Tehran has rejected France’s accusations, maintaining that its judiciary operates independently and that the convictions were based on “solid evidence.”
Failed Hopes for a Prisoner Exchange
The ruling comes despite earlier indications of diplomatic progress. In September, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that negotiations for a prisoner swap involving the French citizens were in their “final stage.” The proposed deal would have seen the release of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian woman detained in France earlier this year on charges related to promoting terrorism online.
However, Iran’s judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir claimed France refused to grant Esfandiari temporary bail, calling the accusations against her “baseless.” He added that Tehran “continues to push for her release without conditions.”
Broader Pattern of Detentions
Rights groups and Western governments have long accused Iran of using foreign nationals as leverage in diplomatic negotiations, a charge the Islamic Republic denies. Dozens of foreign or dual citizens, including Europeans and Iranians with Western ties, remain imprisoned on espionage-related charges.
The sentences for Kohler and Paris come just days after an Iranian court acquitted Lennart Monterlos, an 18-year-old French-German cyclist, of similar spying accusations, a rare release that had briefly raised hopes for broader diplomatic breakthroughs.
For now, Paris insists it will “continue to demand the immediate release” of Kohler and Paris as diplomatic pressure mounts over their fate.
By The Midtown Times – World Desk | October 14, 2025
