French hostage Louis Arnaud has returned home after being released from imprisonment in Iran, where he languished in prison for almost two years.
The French national arrived back in his home country on Thursday. His family and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné greeted him at the Paris-Le-Bourget airport.
Local media report that the consultant had embarked on a world tour in July 2022 that had taken him as far as Iran when he was arrested in September of that year.
He was accused of taking part in demonstrations following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman of Kurdish background who had been arrested for allegedly not wearing the hijab in accordance with government standards.
Amini died in suspicious circumstances while in custody, and her death sparked massive protests across Iran.
Arnaud's parents previously spoke with Euronews about the shock, worry and anxiety they felt after hearing Louis had been arrested.
"We knew this was not just any country, but Iran we are dealing with," said his father.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for the release of three other French nationals held in the country “without delay”.
The three include Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris and a man named Olivier, whose surname has not been made public.
French authorities identified Kohler and Paris as a teachers’ union official and her partner on vacation in the country. Iranian authorities accuse them of protesting with Iranian teachers and taking part in an anti-government rally.
French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné said on Thursday that the government is "still working" to secure their freedom.
"Our diplomacy is still mobilised," he said. "That will be the next victory for tomorrow. But here we must be satisfied with a great diplomatic victory for France."
