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France 24
07-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
France concerned over ‘worrying' disappearance of citizen in Iran
A French man has been missing in Iran since mid-June, France 's minister responsible for the country's residents abroad said on Monday, adding that Paris had no details on what had happened to the man. "It's a worrying disappearance and we are in contact with the family," Laurent Saint-Martin, who is also trade minister, told RTL radio. "It is worrying because Iran has a deliberate policy of taking Western hostages," he added. But Saint-Martin did not say specifically that the Iranian authorities were holding the man, who also has German nationality. French media reported that the man was an 18-year-old who had been on a cycling trip in the region but went missing a few days after Israeli planes struck targets in Iran. Separately, a diplomatic source said Iran has charged two French nationals - Jacques Paris and Cecile Kohler - with spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence service. The two have been held in Iran more than three years in what France has called state-sponsored hostage taking. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi on Sunday, made no mention in a statement of the missing teenager but demanded the "immediate and unconditional" release of Paris and Kohler. Kohler's sister on Sunday said that the two had been moved from Evin prison in Tehran after Israel bombed the site but that she had not been told where the two were now being held. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have detained dozens of foreign and dual nationals in recent years, often on espionage-related charges. Rights groups and Western countries accuse Tehran of using foreign detainees as bargaining chips, which it denies. France in May filed a case at the World Court against Iran for violating the right to consular protection, in a bid to pressure Tehran over the detention of its two citizens.
The National
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Frenchman missing in Iran for weeks gives rise to hostage concerns
A Frenchman has been missing in Iran since mid-June, France's minister responsible for the country's residents abroad said on Monday. Paris has no details on what has happened to the man, Laurent Saint-Martin, who is also trade minister, told RTL radio. "It's a worrying disappearance and we are in contact with the family. It is worrying because Iran has a deliberate policy of taking western hostages." Mr Saint-Martin did not say specifically that Iranian authorities are holding the man, who also holds German nationality. French media reported the man is an 18-year-old who was on a cycling trip in the region but went missing a few days after Israeli planes struck targets in Iran. Separately, a diplomatic source said Iran has charged two French citizens – Jacques Paris and Cecile Kohler – with spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence service. The two have been held in Iran more than three years in what France has called state-sponsored hostage taking. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who spoke to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, made no mention of the missing teenager but demanded the "immediate and unconditional" release of Mr Paris and Ms Kohler. Ms Kohler's sister on Sunday said the two had been moved from Evin prison in Tehran after Israel bombed the site but she did not know where they were now being held. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has detained dozens of foreign and dual citizens in recent years, often on espionage-related charges. Rights groups and western countries accuse Tehran of using foreign detainees as bargaining chips, which it denies. France in May filed a case at the World Court against Iran for violating the right to consular protection, in a bid to pressure Tehran over the detention of two of its citizens.
Al Arabiya
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
France concerned over citizen missing in Iran, minister says
A French man has been missing in Iran since mid-June, France's minister responsible for the country's residents abroad said on Monday, adding that Paris had no details on what had happened to the man. 'It's a worrying disappearance and we are in contact with the family,' Laurent Saint-Martin, who is also trade minister, told RTL radio. 'It is worrying because Iran has a deliberate policy of taking Western hostages,' he added. But Saint-Martin did not say specifically that the Iranian authorities were holding the man, who also has German nationality. French media reported that the man was an 18-year-old who had been on a cycling trip in the region but went missing a few days after Israeli planes struck targets in Iran. Separately, a diplomatic source said Iran has charged two French nationals - Jacques Paris and Cecile Kohler - with spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence service. The two have been held in Iran more than three years in what France has called state-sponsored hostage taking. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, made no mention in a statement of the missing teenager but demanded the "immediate and unconditional" release of Paris and Kohler. Kohler's sister on Sunday said that the two had been moved from Evin prison in Tehran after Israel bombed the site but that she had not been told where the two were now being held. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have detained dozens of foreign and dual nationals in recent years, often on espionage-related charges. Rights groups and Western countries accuse Tehran of using foreign detainees as bargaining chips, which it denies. France in May filed a case at the World Court against Iran for violating the right to consular protection, in a bid to pressure Tehran over the detention of its two citizens.
Reuters
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
France concerned over citizen missing in Iran, minister says
PARIS, July 7 (Reuters) - A French man has been missing in Iran since mid-June, France's minister responsible for the country's residents abroad said on Monday, adding that Paris had no details on what had happened to the man. "It's a worrying disappearance and we are in contact with the family," Laurent Saint-Martin, who is also trade minister, told RTL radio. "It is worrying because Iran has a deliberate policy of taking Western hostages," he added. But Saint-Martin did not say specifically that the Iranian authorities were holding the man, who also has German nationality. French media reported that the man was an 18-year-old who had been on a cycling trip in the region but went missing a few days after Israeli planes struck targets in Iran. Separately, a diplomatic source said Iran has charged two French nationals - Jacques Paris and Cecile Kohler - with spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence service. The two have been held in Iran more than three years in what France has called state-sponsored hostage taking. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who spoke with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi on Sunday, made no mention in a statement of the missing teenager but demanded the "immediate and unconditional" release of Paris and Kohler. Kohler's sister on Sunday said that the two had been moved from Evin prison in Tehran after Israel bombed the site but that she had not been told where the two were now being held. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have detained dozens of foreign and dual nationals in recent years, often on espionage-related charges. Rights groups and Western countries accuse Tehran of using foreign detainees as bargaining chips, which it denies. France in May filed a case at the World Court against Iran for violating the right to consular protection, in a bid to pressure Tehran over the detention of its two citizens.
Entrepreneur
23-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
France and the GCC Reframe Their Economic Future at Vision Golfe 2025 in Paris
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Gulf countries are no longer seen merely as consumers, they are now recognized as producers and increasingly, as global innovators, concludes the Vision Golfe 2025. The two-day event hosted more than 1,200 participants, including 550 high-level actors from GCC countries, at the French Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty to deepen strategic ties and co-develop the economic future of both regions. The forum hosted five ministers, around 80 top-level speakers, over 2,000 formal and informal meetings, and more than 70 partner organizations, solidifying its position as a premier platform for France-GCC economic collaboration. The total trade between France and the GCC reached €21 billion in 2024, supported by a dynamic network of 17,000 French exporters to the Gulf, a sign of growing bilateral momentum and mutual opportunity. Vision Golfe 2025 was opened by Laurent Saint-Martin, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, Didier Boulogne, Deputy CEO for Export, Business France. Five ministers took part in this year's forum, including Éric Lombard, French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs, Qatar, and H.E. Mohammad Alhawi, Undersecretary of the Minister of Investment, United Arab Emirates. Other key participants included Jean-Yves Le Drian, President of AFALULA, Former French Minister, and Special Envoy of the French President for the Middle East, H.E. Dr Nouf Alnumair, Secretary General of the Ministerial Committee of Health in all Policies, Saudi Arabia, Pascal Cagni, French Ambassador for International Investment, Chairman of Business France, Abeer M. AlAkel, Chief Executive Officer for the Royal Commission for AlUla, Saudi Arabia, Shaima Saleh AlHusseini, Managing Director of Saudi Sports for All Federation, Saudi Arabia. "It is of utmost importance to underscore the need to strengthen the ties between the Gulf countries and France," stated Laurent Saint-Martin, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade. "This summit comes at a pivotal moment, one that calls for a strong reminder to the world of the strength of our existing bonds, and above all, of what still lies ahead for us to accomplish together. Vision Golfe serves as a showcase of our respective strengths." "Economic and trade cooperation is a cornerstone of the Qatari-French partnership," said H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs, Qatar. "Over the past five years, our bilateral trade reached approximately €11 billion. Today, the Qatari market is home to hundreds of French companies operating across multiple sectors, including TotalEnergies, Thales, and other key partners." As economic ties continue to deepen, public health and human development emerged as equally strategic pillars of cooperation. "We live in a world where the demand on the healthcare system is accelerating, driven by aging populations, chronic diseases, and increasing costs of care. By 2027, medical costs are expected to grow 7 to 8% annually," said H.E. Dr Nouf Alnumair. "In Saudi Arabia, we have made a clear strategic choice to look at health not only as a challenge to control, but as a value to protect, and a foundation to build on. France has long been a leader in public health innovation through critical research and digital health solutions, and Saudi Arabia brings its scale and integrated ecosystem to embrace reforms and drive innovation." "We offer a rapidly growing population, a digitally native workforce, a tech-savvy generation, and unwavering political commitment," Alnumair added. With 10 sectoral roundtables and 8 keynote speeches, the 2025 edition zoomed in on forward- looking cooperation in Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, energy, water, and waste management, health, transport, agriculture, education, luxury, retail, sports, and tourism. A key highlight this year was the launch of a dedicated panel on education and human capital. Across sessions, the issue of talent, how to develop, attract, retain, and empower it, was central. This included talent strategies linked to Vision 2030 agendas, cross-border knowledge and expertise transfer, French academic institutions expanding in the region to support long-term workforce transformation. One such initiative is the partnership between École Polytechnique and Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in the United Arab Emirates, a clear signal of France's contribution to the Gulf's knowledge economy. France sees powerful synergies between its France 2030 strategy and the transformative agendas of GCC nations, particularly in renewables, AI, deep tech, industrial innovation, and human capital. These shared priorities offer a strong basis for co-investment, co-production, and long-term joint value creation. "I am convinced that the development of business relationships is a factor of peace and stability" stated Éric Lombard, French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty. "France is a leading voice within the European Union and a strong defender of building bridges between East and West. I believe our countries can serve each other as platforms to access new markets, especially in a context marked by tension and uncertainty." Beyond trade and diplomacy, social progress and well-being are also emerging as central themes of transformation across the region. "The Federation is a living, breathing example of how inclusion and empowerment is not just a goal but a reality in modern Saudi Arabia" said Shaima Saleh AlHusseini, Managing Director of Saudi Sports for All Federation. "We are not just building a better Saudi Arabia, we are building a healthier, happier Saudi Arabia. Through sports, we are adding an additional pillar to the Kingdom's economy." AlHusseini added. "While the Middle East continues to face significant tension, Business France and its partners remain committed to building bridges, and to building the future" said Didier Boulogne, Deputy CEO for Export at Business France. "We move forward on the basis of trust and mutual respect with our GCC partners: six countries with which France maintains truly exceptional relationships, as demonstrated by our daily work and growing partnerships on the ground." The forum closed with a powerful address by Ludovic Pouille, Director for Economic Diplomacy at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs: "This dialogue is not only economic: it's strategic, human, and forward-looking. Together, we are building the conditions for shared resilience and long-term prosperity." France has also reaffirmed its standing as Europe's top destination for foreign direct investment for the sixth consecutive year - a signal of stability, confidence, and opportunity.
