Yesterday, the French Foreign Minister confirmed that Paris had not offered any “returns” for the release of the Frenchman Benjamin Brière and the French-Irish Bernard Phelan, who were held in Iran. I didn’t want to say anything.
“We have repeatedly appealed to the Iranian authorities at various levels with a request to release them due to their very poor health,” she added. On May 12, 37-year-old Benjamin Brier and 64-year-old Bernard Phelan were released.
“They were both ill, fortunately they survived the ordeal,” said Colonna, lamenting that Benjamin Brier “spent three years in Iranian prisons.”
The column also indicated that French authorities are currently working on the “unconditional” release of four other French nationals who are still in Iranian custody.
These are Cecile Koller and Jacques Paris, arrested on May 7, 2022, and Louis Arnaud, arrested since September 28, and the fourth person whose identity is not disclosed. When asked about the reasons for anonymity, Catherine Colonna explained that it “was at the request of his family ”, and continued: “We fully respect privacy”, emphasizing that the case is not related to a secret agent.
