Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that it is seeking the release of Iranian nationals held in Taliban custody, but described the number of detainees as very limited.
Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters that the number of Iranians imprisoned in Afghanistan was “not even reaching the number of fingers on one hand.”
Responding to a question about Iranian prisoners in Afghanistan — including the case of a detained photographer — Mr. Baghaei said, “As far as I know, one of the prisoners has been released, and the case of the detained photographer is currently being pursued.”
He also addressed the detention of two Iranian journalists in France, criticizing what he called a double standard among European countries. “The fact that individuals have been pressured, arbitrarily detained, and denied consular access merely for opposing genocide is a clear violation of human rights and freedom of expression,” Mr. Baghaei said.
He added that Iran had secured consular access for one of the detained citizens in France and expressed hope that the French government would soon clarify their cases. “Iranian citizens have committed no crime; they have merely expressed their human feelings in opposition to the war in Gaza,” he said.
Negotiations between Tehran and the Taliban over prisoner exchanges have been ongoing in recent months. Iran has previously released Afghan inmates from its prisons and handed them over to Taliban authorities.
