French envoy visits spy suspect Reiss in Evin

France’s Ambassador to Tehran visits a young French spy suspect in the Evin prison, three days after Iranian judicial authorities granted her conditional release.

Bernard Poletti, on Friday, visited Clotide Reiss, a 24-year-old French academic who was detained in Iran over a month ago on charges of espionage.

“He explained to her that the French authorities are doing all they can to obtain her release as soon as possible,” said a French Foreign Ministry spokesman earlier in the day.

This was Poletti’s second trip to Evin to see Reiss — who stands trial for her involvement in anti-government activities following the June 12 election.

Mehdi Miraboutalebi, Iran’s envoy to France, said Tuesday that the judiciary has decided to grant Reiss conditional release “if the (French) government and ambassador promise she lives in the French Embassy in Tehran until the judicial process ends”.

“This is not done in any country, even France. You won’t let an Iranian stay in the embassy until the judicial process ends if I personally guarantee it,” Miraboutalebi said in a live interview with Radio France Internationale.

He added that Paris has not yet responded to the offer. France has repeatedly denied the charges brought against Reiss.

In a court session on July 8, Reiss admitted to having gathered ‘classified’ information on Iran’s nuclear program as well as the country’s post-election developments. She said the information was conveyed to the French Embassy and about 50 friends or members of her family, the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.

“I should not have taken part in illegal protests… I regret (my activities),” the Frenchwoman said in a court address.

Her detention has soured political relations between Tehran and Paris with French officials rejecting her charges and calling for her immediate release.

“Clotilde Reiss is innocent and has been the victim of a parody of a trial,” said French government spokesman Luc Chatel on Tuesday. “We have demanded and will continue to demand her liberation.”