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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 26, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 26, 2026
French court sentences Iranian woman to jail for justifying terrorism
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleA French court has sentenced Iranian national Mahdieh Esfandiari to one year in prison for justifying terrorism in a case linked to a possible prisoner swap with two French citizens held in Iran.
Esfandiari, 39, was also handed a permanent ban from French territory, according to an AFP journalist present at the court.
Observers see Esfandiari as a potential bargaining chip in negotiations with Tehran for the release of French nationals Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, who are detained in Iran.
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