Two French nationals, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, have been “held hostage by the Iranian regime for over three years,” according to French President Emmanuel Macron’s demand that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian release them.
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As tensions between Iran and Israel continue to rise, Macron emphasised the importance of Pezeshkian’s prompt return to the negotiation table to resolve the nuclear program.
This was mentioned in a series of posts on Saturday evening through his X account.
“I have just had a conversation with Massoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran,” he wrote.
I began by expressing my strong desire for the swift and unconditional release of our fellow countrymen, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who have been held captive by the Iranian regime in intolerable circumstances for more than three years.
Given the significant potential for regional instability, I emphasised the importance of protecting American diplomatic facilities and citizens in Iran and the surrounding area.
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The best way to de-escalate the situation is to return to the negotiation table, which is why I invited President Pezeshkian to do so immediately.
“We are prepared to make a contribution and will use all of our resources to help reach that objective. Iran had earlier on Friday and Saturday attacked various locations in Israel with missiles.
Images shared online showed a number of partially damaged and completely demolished homes. Following a missile strike in Israel’s coastal plain, the country’s national emergency medical services later reported treating and evacuating twenty-one individuals. Israeli planes have attacked Iran multiple times in the past few weeks.
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