Iran, France Prepare Political Prisoner Swap Amid Detainments

An Iranian student detained in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, is being prepared for a prisoner exchange with France, according to an Iranian diplomat speaking to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. This move follows Iran's expressed willingness to conduct prisoner swaps with Paris. Iran has accused France of arbitrarily detaining Esfandiari, who was arrested in France for anti-Israel social media posts. In return, France has two citizens, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, detained in Iran since 2022. Both countries have reportedly prepared a political and consular package that must be implemented to facilitate this exchange. This development signals increased diplomatic engagement between Iran and France over their detained nationals.