France calls for ‘gesture’ from Iran over detained academics

France said yesterday that the imprisonment of two prominent French academics by Iran was unacceptable and that their release would represent a “significant gesture”, as tensions mount between Tehran and the West.

The plea for the release of Fariba Adelkhah and Roland Marchal -- imprisoned since June last year -- comes as Iran is embroiled in an international crisis over its missile attacks on US troops in Iraq and a passenger plane crash near Tehran.

“These arrests and the fact that they are in prison today is totally unacceptable,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio.

“It would be a significant gesture if Iran freed them as soon as possible.”

France has repeatedly called for de-escalation in the latest intensification of the Iran-US standoff, sparked by the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in an American drone strike which prompted Iran to attack bases in Iraq housing US troops.

A Ukrainian passenger plane came down shortly after takeoff on Wednesday, with Western officials suggesting it had been downed -- possibly accidentally -- by an Iranian missile.