France to File Legal Complaint Against Iran Over Detained Citizens

France plans to file a legal complaint against Iran at the International Court of Justice for holding two of its citizens, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, since May 2022. France accuses Iran of torturing the detainees and denying proper consular access, accusations Iran denies.

France is set to escalate its diplomatic dispute with Iran by filing a legal complaint at the International Court of Justice on Friday. This action follows the prolonged detention of two French nationals in Iran.

Supporters of Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who have been held by Iranian authorities since May 2022, organized rallies on Wednesday to pressure Paris to secure their release. Kohler and Paris were shown in a video aired on Iranian state television, which portrayed them as confessing to espionage activities—a claim France has firmly rejected.

The French government has accused Iran of subjecting the duo to torturous conditions in Tehran's notorious Evin prison and denying them essential consular protections. Iranian officials, however, have dismissed these allegations, further straining relations between the two nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)