Nobel winner 'very worried' over French woman held in Iran

Iranian Nobel peace prize winner Narges Mohammadi, currently on leave from prison after over three years behind bars, on Wednesday said she was "very worried" about the situation of a French woman held by the Islamic republic, saying her conditions were a "true torture".

Teacher Cecile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris were detained in Iran in May 2022. They are accused of seeking to stir up labour protests, accusations their families vehemently deny.

Speaking in a video interview from Iran, Mohammadi told France Inter radio she was "very worried" about the "state of health of Cecile" who is held in Tehran's Evin prison -- where she has also been jailed.

"I was able to speak to prisoners who spent a few days in cells with her. They say that physically she is extremely weak, and I am very worried about her," said Mohammadi, 52, who won the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize.

Kohler is "in isolation is terrible conditions, a real torture. There are no walks, when I was there we could only go into the yard three times a week for only 20 minutes. The door of her cell is closed 24 hours a day except to go to the infirmary," said Mohammadi.

- 'State hostages' -

Kohler and Paris were also subjected to what France condemned as forced confessions broadcast on Iranian TV after their arrest.

Tehran said in November that the couple were being held "in good conditions and in good health".

A third Frenchman, named Olivier but whose last name has not been made public, has also been held in Iran since 2022.

France now calls these prisoners "state hostages" and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Wednesday the conditions under which they are held are akin to torture.

"The conditions of detention by Iran of our citizens are unacceptable and can be classified as torture under international law," he told France Inter.

"That is why there will be no negotiation with Iran as long as the fate of our hostages is not dealt with," he said.

Barrot did not specify what he was referring to. Iran and European powers including France are due to have new talks on the Iranian nuclear programme in Geneva next week, according to reports.

"France supports an approach of negotiation by force" to make progress on issues such as Iran's nuclear and ballistics programme, he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said Iran was the main strategic and security challenge in the Middle East, citing the acceleration of its nuclear programme and support for Russia's war against Ukraine. Iran denounced his comments as "baseless".