France urges release of 7 nationals imprisoned in Iran

PARIS (AP) — France has called for the “immediate release” of seven French nationals detained in Iran. The French foreign ministry denounced the detentions as an “unjustifiable and unacceptable” situation. A ministry spokesperson said Thursday that the French “hostages” in Iran include 35-year-old Louis Arnaud. The official said that Arnaud was arrested on Sept. 28 as he was traveling in Iran “for touristic reasons.” He is being detained in “very difficult conditions” in Tehran’s Evin prison, and France’s ambassador to Iran met with him on Dec. 11. France’s foreign minister discussed the issue in a phone call with her Iranian counterpart on Wednesday.