French court jails Iranian woman for 'justifying terrorism'

ISTANBUL

A Paris criminal court sentenced Iranian national Mahdieh Esfandiari to one year in prison and imposed a permanent ban from French territory for allegedly “justifying terrorism” in online comments linked to Oct. 7, 2023, the day Israel launched its deadly war on Gaza.

Esfandiari, 39, received a four-year sentence, three years of which were suspended, Le Monde reported on Thursday.

Prosecutors had sought the same penalty but argued it was unnecessary to reincarcerate her, as she had already spent around eight months in pretrial detention.

The verdict is seen as potentially influencing ongoing diplomatic dialogue with Tehran concerning French nationals Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who were detained in Iran in May 2022 and later convicted for espionage, charges their families deny.

They were released in November 2025 but remain under a travel ban in Iran.

Iranian authorities have publicly expressed a desire to exchange Esfandiari for the two French citizens once legal proceedings in France are completed.

In late November, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told France 24 that an agreement had been negotiated and that Tehran was awaiting the conclusion of judicial procedures in both countries.

French authorities accuse Esfandiari of online advocacy of terrorism and of involvement in funding and managing social media accounts linked to the so-called “Axis of Resistance” -- an informal alliance that allegedly includes Iran, Syria and Hezbollah as well as any anti-Western or anti-Israeli militia groups in the region.

In court, Esfandiari admitted to creating a Telegram channel but denied authoring the incriminating posts.