France Summons Iranian Ambassador

The envoy "was reminded of France's demand that Fariba Adelkhah and Roland Marchal be released without delay, and that the Iranian authorities display transparency concerning their situation," AFP reported, quoting the French ministry's statement.

The report says Adelkhah and Marchal, both researchers at Sciences Po in Paris, have been held on spying charges since June.

This is while Iran has repeatedly dismissed the French Foreign Ministry’s interference in the case of Iranian nationals as an “unjustified” and “unacceptable” move that not only fails to help resolve issue, but also would make the trial procedure more complicated.

Back in October, Iran’s Foreign Ministry dismissed France’s “meddlesome and unacceptable” remarks about Iranian prisoner Fariba Adelkhah, saying the Islamic Republic’s law does not recognize her dual citizenship.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s national law does not recognize the dual citizenship of Iranian citizens, and thus Adelkhah is regarded as an Iranian national,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on October 4.

The Iranian Judiciary is carefully pursuing the case of Adelkhah within the framework of the country’s fair trial law, Mousavi added.