An Iranian flag. (Credit: AFP)
The ultraconservative Iranian newspaper Kayhan, known for its hostility toward the West, on Saturday urged authorities to question French nationals in Iran about the conflict in Gaza and to expel those who support Israel.
The daily does not represent Iran’s official position, although its editor is appointed by the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This suggestion comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Paris.
The newspaper refers to the case of Mahdieh Esfakdiari, an Iranian woman arrested in France at the end of February for glorifying terrorism. “The Paris prosecutor announced that her crime was verbally supporting the people of Gaza,” writes Kayhan, calling on Iranian authorities to “retaliate by asking French citizens in Iran whether they condemn the crimes” of Israel in Gaza. “If their answer is negative, arrest them for supporting the crimes of the Zionist regime. And if religious principles do not allow for their imprisonment, at least expel them,” the paper adds.
Iran does not recognize Israel, which its leaders routinely refer to as the “Zionist regime,” and support for the Palestinian cause has been a pillar of its foreign policy since the Islamic Republic was established in 1979.
France has advised its nationals not to travel to Iran due to the “risk of arbitrary arrest and detention.” Two French citizens, teacher Cécile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris, have been imprisoned in Tehran for over three years. Arrested during a tourist visit, they are accused by Iran of “espionage,” allegations their relatives strongly deny.
In mid-May, France announced it had filed a complaint against Iran with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over what it considers degrading detention conditions. Tehran, expressing “surprise” at the move, denounced it as “political exploitation.” Kohler and Paris are currently the last two known French detainees in Iran. Between 2023 and 2025, at least five French nationals were released after months or years of detention.
European diplomatic sources and NGOs accuse Tehran of engaging in “hostage diplomacy” to extract political concessions. Iran insists that all arrests are made “in accordance with the law.”
The ultraconservative Iranian newspaper Kayhan, known for its hostility toward the West, on Saturday urged authorities to question French nationals in Iran about the conflict in Gaza and to expel those who support Israel.The daily does not represent Iran’s official position, although its editor is appointed by the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This suggestion comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Paris.The newspaper refers to the case of Mahdieh Esfakdiari, an Iranian woman arrested in France at the end of February for glorifying terrorism. “The Paris prosecutor announced that her crime was verbally supporting the people of Gaza,” writes Kayhan, calling on Iranian authorities to “retaliate by asking French citizens in Iran whether they condemn the crimes” of Israel in Gaza. “If...
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