Latest news with #CécileKohler
RTÉ News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
US moves bombers to Pacific as Trump mulls attacking Iran
The US is moving B-2 stealth bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, two officials told Reuters, as President Donald Trump weighs whether the United States should take part in Israel's strikes against Iran. It was unclear whether the bomber deployment is tied to Middle East tensions. The B-2 can be equipped to carry America's 14-ton GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground. That is the weapon that experts claim could be used to strike Iran's nuclear program, including Fordow. The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, declined to disclose any further details. One official said no forward orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. They did not say how many B-2 bombers are being moved. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Experts and officials are closely watching to see whether the B-2 bombers will move forward to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. Experts said that Diego Garcia is in an ideal position to operate in the Middle East from. The United States had B-2 bombers on Diego Garcia up until last month, when they were replaced with B-52 bombers. The Iranian President @drpezeshkian called me. I reiterated my firm demand: Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris must be released. Their inhumane detention is unjust. I expect them to return to France. I also expressed my deep concern about Iran's nuclear program.… — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 21, 2025 Meanwhile, Israel claimed it had killed a veteran Iranian commander during attacks by both sides in the more than week-long air war, while Iran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear program while under threat. Israel claims Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, while Iran said its atomic program is only for peaceful purposes. However, Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons. It neither confirms nor denies this. Mr Trump has said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the US should bomb Iran for Israel, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses", he said Israel said it had attacked Iran's Isfahan nuclear site for a second time after its air force announced it had also launched salvos against missile storage and launch sites in the centre of the country. The Israeli army later claimed it was striking military infrastructure in southwest Iran. Earlier this week, a large number of US tanker aircraft were moved to Europe and other military assets to the Middle East, including the deployment of more fighter jets. An aircraft carrier in the Indo-Pacific is also heading to the Middle East. Israel's attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based human rights organisation that tracks Iran. In Israel, 24 civilians have died in Iranian strikes, according to authorities. Reuters could not independently verify casualty figures for either side. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed that the military killed a veteran commander in the Quds force, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' overseas arm, in a strike in an apartment in Iran's Qom. The veteran commander killed was identified as Saeed Izadi, who led the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force. Talks show little progress Iran has repeatedly targeted Tel Aviv where some critical Israeli military assets are also located. Israel said it had struck dozens of military targets, including missile production sites, a research body it claims was involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran and military facilities in western and central Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said there was no room for negotiations with the US "until Israeli aggression stops". But he arrived in Geneva yesterday for talks with European foreign ministers at which Europe hopes to establish a path back to diplomacy. US President Donald Trump reiterated that he would take as long as two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses", he said. Mr Trump said he was unlikely to press Israel to scale back its airstrikes to allow negotiations to continue. "I think it's very hard to make that request right now. If somebody is winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing, but we're ready, willing and able, and we've been speaking to Iran, and we'll see what happens," he said. The Geneva talks produced little signs of progress, and Mr Trump said he doubted negotiators would be able to secure a ceasefire. "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one," Mr Trump said. Hundreds of US citizens have fled Iran since the air war began, according to a US State Department cable seen by journalists. Israel's envoy to the United Nations, Danny Danon, told the Security Council his country would not stop its attacks "until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled". Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani called for Security Council action and said his country was alarmed by reports that the US might join the war. Russia and China demanded immediate de-escalation. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran was ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment but that it would reject any proposal that barred it from enriching uranium completely, "especially now under Israel's strikes".
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A European citizen was detained in Iran, accused of 'spying in sensitive areas' of the country
Iranian authorities have detained a European national on accusations of "spying on sensitive areas of the country." The individual's nationality has not yet been confirmed. According to Iranian media, the alleged spy was arrested while cycling through a restricted security zone in Markazi Province. The Tasnim news agency reported that the man entered Iran around the time that Israeli airstrikes began, although these details have not been independently verified. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has reportedly arrested 22 people in the city of Qom, accusing them of spying for Israel. 'Twenty-two individuals were identified and detained for allegedly being linked to Zionist intelligence services and for stirring up public unrest,' said the Fars news agency and cited by Portuguese news agency Lusa. Over the past week, Iranian authorities are believed to have executed several individuals accused of spying for Israel. Since the start of Israel's military operations, 13 people have reportedly been executed. In recent years, seven French citizens have been detained by Iranian authorities, with two still being held in custody. On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken wth his Iranian counterpart by phone, demanding the immediate release of the two remaining detainees. 'I reiterated my firm demand: Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris must be freed. Their inhumane detention is unjust. I hope they will return to France soon,' Macron also voiced "deep concern" over Iran's nuclear ambitions. 'My position remains clear: Iran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, and it must provide full guarantees that its intentions are peaceful. I believe there is a path to ending the war and avoiding even greater risks. To that end, France and its European partners will step up negotiations with Iran,' Macron wrote on X. Cécile Kohler and her partner, Jacques Paris, were arrested in 2022 during a tourist visit to Iran. Tehran accuses them of espionage, an allegation their families strongly deny.
Euronews
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Iran arrests European citizen accused of espionage
Iranian authorities have detained a European national on accusations of "spying on sensitive areas of the country." The individual's nationality has not yet been confirmed. According to Iranian media, the alleged spy was arrested while cycling through a restricted security zone in Markazi Province. The Tasnim news agency reported that the man entered Iran around the time that Israeli airstrikes began, although these details have not been independently verified. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has reportedly arrested 22 people in the city of Qom, accusing them of spying for Israel. 'Twenty-two individuals were identified and detained for allegedly being linked to Zionist intelligence services and for stirring up public unrest,' said the Fars news agency and cited by Portuguese news agency Lusa. Over the past week, Iranian authorities are believed to have executed several individuals accused of spying for Israel. Since the start of Israel's military operations, 13 people have reportedly been executed. In recent years, seven French citizens have been detained by Iranian authorities, with two still being held in custody. On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken wth his Iranian counterpart by phone, demanding the immediate release of the two remaining detainees. 'I reiterated my firm demand: Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris must be freed. Their inhumane detention is unjust. I hope they will return to France soon,' Macron said. He also voiced "deep concern" over Iran's nuclear ambitions. 'My position remains clear: Iran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, and it must provide full guarantees that its intentions are peaceful. I believe there is a path to ending the war and avoiding even greater risks. To that end, France and its European partners will step up negotiations with Iran,' Macron wrote on X. Cécile Kohler and her partner, Jacques Paris, were arrested in 2022 during a tourist visit to Iran. Tehran accuses them of espionage, an allegation their families strongly deny.
Forbes
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
France To Challenge Iran's Hostage Diplomacy Before The UN Top Court
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, on January 11, 2024. (Photo ... More credit: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images) On May 16, 2025, France filed an Application instituting proceedings against Iran before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with regard to a dispute which, according to the Application, concerns 'serious and repeated breaches by Iran of its obligations under the [Vienna] The Application, as submitted by France, specifically concerns Iran's detention of two French nationals, Ms Cécile Kohler and Mr Jacques Paris. As indicated by France, Ms Cécile Kohler, a modern literature teacher, and her companion, Mr Jacques Paris, a retired mathematics teacher, were on a tourist visa in Iran before they were arrested on May 8, 2022, by Iranian law enforcement. They have been accused of spying - charges which they have denied. They have been imprisoned ever since. It was not until June 18, 2022, that Iran officially informed France about the arrest of two French nationals. Over the last three years of their imprisonment, the two have only been able to speak with the French consular authorities on four occasions, during individual visits lasting an average of around ten minutes, which took place under very close surveillance and in restrictive conditions. Furthermore, France was effectively prevented from providing legal representation for Ms Cécile Kohler and Mr Jacques Paris. Despite its repeated requests, France has never been able to obtain substantial information on the ongoing legal proceedings concerning the two French nationals still detained in Iran. France alleges that this 'hostage diplomacy' is being implemented with the specific aim of forcing France to perform or refrain from certain acts. This involves, paraphrasing the terms used in the 1979 International Convention against the Taking of Hostages, seeking to obtain a real or supposed counterpart as an 'explicit or implicit condition' for the release of the persons concerned. With the Application to the ICJ, France seeks to found the Court's jurisdiction on Article 36 of the Statute of the Court, read in conjunction with Article I of the Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations concerning the Compulsory Settlement of Disputes of 24 April 1963, to which both France and Iran are parties. France requests the ICJ to declare that Iran has failed, and continues to fail, to fulfill its obligations under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. France also requests the ICJ to order Iran to take all necessary measures without delay to put an end to these violations and to redress all their consequences. France further requests that Iran be ordered to refrain from taking any further measures that would constitute a violation of its obligations and to provide assurances and guarantees of non-repetition of such conduct. This is an important step taken by France to challenge Iran's hostage diplomacy. Hostage diplomacy refers to the practice of strategic detention of foreign nationals by a state to pressure another government into making political or economic concessions. Over the years, Iran has used hostage diplomacy as a strategic foreign policy tool, toying with the lives of people. However, Iran is not alone in playing such games. Russia, North Korea, and China, among others, are common culprits of this State-level hostage taking. Some experts suggest that State-level hostage takings have increased in recent years. As such, the issue requires further attention. Engaging the ICJ on the issue is an important legal avenue for justice and accountability, and a tool in the toolbox that cannot be underestimated.
The Guardian
20-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Iran releases French citizen imprisoned for more than 880 days
A French citizen imprisoned in Iran for more than 880 days has been freed, as France and the rest of Europe try to pursue negotiations with Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, wrote online that Olivier Grondeau had been freed, but offered no immediate details of what led to the release, though it came on Nowruz, the Persian new year, when Iran has released prisoners in the past. Jean-Noël Barrot, France's minister for Europe and foreign affairs, posted a picture online of Grondeau smiling aboard what appeared to be a private jet. 'We will tirelessly continue our efforts to ensure that all our compatriots still held hostage, including Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, are in turn released,' Barrot wrote. Macron also raised their cases. 'Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris must be freed from Iranian jails,' he wrote. 'All my thoughts are with them and their families on this day.' The US president, Donald Trump, has sent a letter to Iran's 85-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to jumpstart nuclear talks. Trump is also pressuring Tehran over its support for Yemen's Houthi rebels, after the US military launched an intense new campaign of airstrikes targeting the group. In going public with his detention in January, Grondeau alluded to the politics at play in his imprisonment. 'You become a human who has been stocked away indefinitely because one government is seeking to exert pressure on another,' he said. The Iranian government did not immediately acknowledge Grondeau's release. Such releases of westerners in Iran typically come in exchange for something. Earlier this week, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians, but said Tehran was still trying to gather more details about her case. On Grondeau's lap in the image from the private jet was a plastic-wrapped T-shirt bearing a picture of the pop star Britney Spears, something officials did not acknowledge in welcoming Grondeau's release. He put it on before getting off the plane and embracing his family on returning home, in footage aired by French broadcaster TF1. France's foreign minister was also there. 'Bravo for your courage,' he told Grondeau. His mother had described the former youth Scrabble champion as a fan of Beyoncé and karaoke in interviews with French media after he and his family went public with his detention in January. Grondeau was detained by Iranian authorities in October 2022 in the city of Shiraz. Though the exact details of what lead to Iran's arrest of Grondeau remain unclear, his detention began in the chaotic aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died after being detained over not wearing Iran's mandatory headscarf, or hijab, to the liking of authorities. UN investigators later said Iran was responsible for the 'physical violence' that led to her death, which sparked months of protests and a bloody security force crackdown in the country. 'Most of the questions were, 'Did you take part in a demonstration,' 'List all of the Iranians that you met during your trip,' 'Why did you come to Iran?' 'You're not a tourist,'' Grondeau said in a phone call aired with French broadcaster France 2 in January. 'One day you think you're going to be freed very quickly, the next you think you'll die here,' he added. He described lights being shined on prisoners day and night, as well as being blindfolded each time he was taken out of his cell while in solitary confinement for 72 days. He later shared a cell with over a dozen prisoners. Asked if he had suffered ill treatment, he said: 'If you look for bruises on my body you won't find any, because they are not that stupid.' An Iranian court later sentenced the backpacker and world traveller to five years in prison on espionage charges that he, his family and the French government vigorously denied. He had been held at Tehran's notorious Evin prison, which holds westerners, dual nationals and political prisoners often used by Tehran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the west.
