French authorities said a French citizen who had been held in Iran for more than 880 days had been released and returned home, along with another Frenchman who had been under house arrest in Tehran.
The release of the men comes as France and other European countries seek to negotiate with Iran over its rapidly expanding nuclear programme.
US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Iran's 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing talks.
Mr Trump is also pressuring Tehran over its support for Yemen's Houthi rebels, while the US military has launched a new aggressive airstrikes campaign against the group.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on social media the release of Frenchman Olivier Grondeau.
The French Foreign Ministry said another citizen, who had been under house arrest in Tehran for more than four months, was released on Wednesday evening. He asked not to be named, the ministry said.
The release came on the eve of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, when Iran traditionally releases prisoners.
In January, Mr. Grondo gave an interview to a French television channel from prison, hinting at political motives behind his detention.
“You become a person who is held indefinitely because one government is trying to put pressure on another,” he said.
His lawyer in France, Shirinn Ardakani, said he returned to Paris on Monday.
“He's in good hands. He's recovering,” the lawyer told The Associated Press.
An Iranian court sentenced Mr. Grondo, a backpacker, to five years in prison on spying charges, which he, his relatives and the French government have vigorously denied.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the country had provided nothing in exchange for Mr Grondo's release.
Mr Barrot told French television channel TF1 on Thursday that he had initially held talks with Iran's foreign minister, but when those discussions failed to produce results, “we achieved this result through other means.” He did not elaborate.
The release of Western citizens in Iran is usually done in exchange for something. Tehran did not immediately confirm Mr. Grondo's release.
Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported the Palestinians, but added that Tegh
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
