Iran urges France to explain woman’s arrest

TEHRAN: Tehran on Monday urged Paris to explain the arrest in France of an Iranian woman who has been out of reach for weeks, as tensions mount between the two countries. The French weekly Le Point identified the woman as Mahdieh Esfandiari, a 35-year-old French language graduate who has lived in Lyon for eight years.

Her family, worried after losing contact, raised the alarm last month with Iranian authorities, who then contacted their French counterparts, Le Point reported, adding they have yet to hear back.

“We hope that the French government will provide access to this case as soon as possible and clarify the reasons for the arrest of this Iranian citizen,” said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.