French Cyclist Freed: Monterlos Returns Home from Iran
Lennart Monterlos, an 18-year-old dual French-German national, has been freed from Iranian detention and is now back in France. Arrested on espionage charges in June, he was acquitted recently. France continues to press Iran for the release of other detained French nationals, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris.
French-German national Lennart Monterlos has been released from detention in Iran and safely returned to France. His release was confirmed by the outgoing French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old cyclist had been held since June, accused of espionage, but was acquitted of the charges earlier this week, according to reports from the semi-official Tasnim news agency. "Lennart Monterlos is free!" Barrot declared in a social media post.
The French authorities, including President Emmanuel Macron, are maintaining pressure on Iran to release remaining French nationals, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, detained since 2022. Discussions on their release are reportedly progressing, with the possibility of a prisoner exchange involving Iranian student Mahdieh Esfandiari also considered.
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