Iranian Academic Mahdieh Esfandiari Granted Conditional Release in France Following Detention for Anti-Israel Posts

Oct 23, 2025 03:23 pm CST

Mahdieh Esfandiari, a 39-year-old Iranian linguist and academic, has been conditionally released by French authorities after months of detention related to alleged pro-Hamas social media posts. The Iranian citizen, who has lived in France since 2018, faces multiple terrorism-related charges and awaits trial in January while Iranian and French officials potentially negotiate a prisoner exchange.