After such a long wait, the relatives of French prisoners in Iran have learned to be cautious. But after particularly encouraging statements about their plight from French President Emmanuel Macron – on Wednesday, September 24, in New York, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly – the sister of Cécile Kohler, who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2022, described the remarks as "the first positive sign in three and a half years," as told to Agence France-Presse on Thursday.

"We have a solid prospect, so we are working on it. We will have clarifications in the coming weeks," Macron said the day prior in an interview with French media outlets France 24 and Radio France International, following his meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. In a message on X, Macron said that during this meeting, he demanded the "immediate" release of French citizens detained in Iran, whom he described as "state hostages."

This glimmer of hope came as France decided on Wednesday to withdraw its complaint filed in May against Iran at the International Court of Justice over Tehran's treatment of French nationals. That lengthy and complex legal proceeding had been an additional sword of Damocles hanging over Tehran's head.

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