According to a report by El País, the Iranian regime is once again using hostage diplomacy as a strategic tool to manipulate European nations, leveraging the imprisonment of Western citizens to extract political and financial concessions. The report highlights how Tehran is exploiting arbitrary detentions to drive wedges between European governments while advancing its foreign policy agenda.
The recent release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, after 20 days of detention, stands in stark contrast to the continued imprisonment of several French nationals in Iran. Analysts, including Clément Therme of the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), argue that Iran deliberately freed Sala while keeping French hostages to sow discord among European nations. The move comes at a time when European countries are engaging in renewed nuclear negotiations with Tehran.
El País reports that Cecilia Sala was released on January 8, just four days before Italy’s Justice Minister Carlo Nordio ordered the release of Iranian detainee Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi. Reports suggest that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni secured U.S. approval to suspend Najafabadi’s extradition to Washington during her January 5 meeting with former President Donald Trump. This exchange coincided with key negotiations in Geneva, signaling Tehran’s continued reliance on hostage diplomacy to gain leverage.
In light of Hamid Noury's release today, it's crucial to revisit the endless cycle of Western appeasement fueling #Iran's regime #terror and hostage-taking. This loop, starting with Iranian dissidents, now ensnares Western officials and citizens.https://t.co/ieaaOkZb6y
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 15, 2024
Meanwhile, French citizens Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and Olivier Grondeau remain imprisoned in Iran. Analysts suggest that Iran’s refusal to release these individuals is linked to growing tensions between Tehran and Paris, particularly in light of President Emmanuel Macron’s recent discussions on activating the ‘snapback’ mechanism—an initiative that could reimpose sanctions on Iran for nuclear non-compliance.
David Rigoulet-Roze, a researcher at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), told El País that Iran’s anger over France’s stance has contributed to its selective hostage releases. Tehran continues to use imprisoned French nationals as bargaining chips to deter Paris from taking a firmer position in nuclear negotiations.
Beyond political maneuvering, El País details how Iran has a well-documented history of leveraging hostages to secure financial relief. The release of dual-national prisoners has often been accompanied by the unfreezing of Iranian assets. In 2016, following a prisoner exchange with the U.S., Iran received $1.7 billion in cash transfers. Critics labeled this as a ransom payment, warning that such deals only incentivize future hostage-taking.
Similarly, in 2023, Belgium released convicted Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi—who had been sentenced to 20 years for a foiled terror plot—in exchange for Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele and two Austrian-Iranian prisoners. The Iranian regime celebrated this deal as a victory, reinforcing its belief in the effectiveness of hostage diplomacy.
The #Iranian regime aired an interview with Asadollah Assadi, its convicted diplomat #terrorist, who was jailed in Belgium for a foiled 2018 bomb plot in Paris. This move seeks to bolster its hostage-taking diplomacy for both domestic and international audiences. pic.twitter.com/SIhC5faqkK
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 6, 2024
Iran’s ongoing hostage-taking practices have drawn sharp criticism from European lawmakers. On January 25, the European Parliament condemned Tehran’s ‘hostage diplomacy’ and demanded the immediate release of European detainees, including French nationals and Iranian-Swedish scientist Ahmadreza Djalali. The resolution also urged the European Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and expand sanctions against Iranian officials involved in human rights abuses.
Experts warn as long as Tehran perceives hostage diplomacy as an effective tool, Western nationals will remain at risk of arbitrary detention.
With Iran’s nuclear negotiations at a critical juncture, European governments face mounting pressure to respond decisively to Tehran’s coercive diplomacy. The question remains: will Europe stand united against the Iranian regime’s tactics, or will Tehran continue exploiting divisions to its advantage?