Syria Today | Sarkozy thanks Syria for assistance freeing French prisoners in Iran

Sarkozy thanks Syria for assistance freeing French prisoners in Iran

French President Nicholas Sarkozy thanked his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad for his role in securing the release of two French citizens imprisoned by Iranian authorities in the wake of the Islamic Republic’s post-election violence on August 11.

In a press statement issued by France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sarkozy specifically singled out Syria, which assisted in the release of Clotilde Reiss, a 24-year-old teacher, and Nazak Afshar, an employee of the French embassy’s cultural service. The pair were arrested by Iranian authorities and put on trial for spying during the protests which erupted following Tehran’s disputed presidential election on June 12.

Reiss was arrested on July 1 for attending a post-election demonstration and charged with fomenting revolt. Both Reiss and Afshar appeared in a mass trial of some 100 post-demonstration detainees on August 8, but have since been released on bail. The pair are currently residing at the French embassy in Tehran until they are issued with exit visas.

No details have been published about what Syria did to aid the pair’s release and Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on the matter. In the statement, Sarkozy thanked EU member states and Syria for “the solidarity and support they have brought us and will continue to bring until our two compatriots have recovered their full freedom”.

In an interview with the AP news agency published on August 12, Edmond Saab, executive editor of the Arabic-language An-Nahar newspaper in Lebanon, said Afshar’s release was “a joint Iranian and Syrian message” to the West about their readiness to improve ties. “It also points to the possibility that Syria, by virtue of its strong ties with Iran, can mediate between Iran and the West over Tehran’s nuclear programme,” he added.

Syrian political analyst Imad Fawzi Shueibi added that the country’s role in freeing Afshar “gives an impression that Syria is essential to bring about stability in the region”. He said Syria has also played a significant role in improving Iran’s relations with Arab countries.

Since Sarkozy took office in 2007, French-Syrian relations have improved dramatically. In July 2008, Sarkozy sparked controversy when he invited Assad to a Euro-Med summit in Paris and hosted the Syrian president as his guest of honour at France’s Bastille Day parade. Most recently, Sarkozy backed Assad in his condemnation of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and openly pushed for Damascus to play the role of mediator between Tehran and the West.