ICJ drops case against Iran over detained French nationals at Paris's request

The International Court of Justice said Thursday that it had ended a case at France's request over the detention of two French citizens held in Iran.

France had filed a petition against Tehran at the ICJ in May over the detention of Cecile Kohler, 40, and Jacques Paris, 72.

It said the pair were held under a policy that targeted French nationals travelling in Iran "by accusing them of various offences relating to Iranian national security".

Kohler and Paris were arrested in May 2022, accused of spying for Israel.

Their families have described their situation as increasingly desperate.

The Hague-based court said the France had requested "the discontinuance of the proceedings" and that this "was not opposed by Iran".

The French application accused Iran of "serious and repeated breaches" of its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Both countries are parties to the treaty, which regulates consular access.

In July, France told the court it feared "irreparable harm" to Kohler and Paris, warning that new charges could expose them to the death penalty.

Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a television interview that a prisoner swap involving the French pair was nearing its "final stage", with a proposed exchange for Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian woman arrested in France in February for promoting terrorism on social media.

Iran has repeatedly requested her release, arguing that she was unjustly detained.

Kohler and Paris are among around 20 Europeans detained in Iran, including Lennart Monterlos, a 19-year-old Franco-German who was cycling from Europe to Asia and was arrested in the country in June, during the brief war between Iran and Israel.

French President Emmanuel Macron met Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday at the United Nations General Assembly.

“I once again emphasized our clear demand: Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Lennart Guttenberg, state hostages who have been arbitrarily detained in Iran under inhumane conditions, must be immediately released. France will not abandon any of its children,” he said on X after the meeting.

Pezeshkian said on X the two had discussed trying to resolve the issue.