French President Emmanuel Macron told his Iranian counterpart that an improvement in bilateral relations could only happen if there was an immediate release of three French nationals held in Iran.

"The President of the Republic stressed the need to obtain without delay the release of the three French nationals arbitrarily held hostage in Iranian prisons for two years in undignified conditions, an imperative prerequisite for any improvement in bilateral relations with France," the French presidency said in a statement.

Macron met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

According to the Iranian readout of the meeting, Pezeshkian criticized France’s support for Israel in its war with Iran-backed militant group Hamas. He said, “The continuation of Israel’s crimes could lead to a situation that is out of control.”

Last year, the French government accused Iran of adopting a policy of "state hostage-taking" and "blackmail," intensifying calls for the release of French nationals detained in Iran.

Cecile Kohler, a teacher and head of the National Federation of Education, Culture and Vocational Training (FNEC FP-FO), and her partner Jacques Paris, also a member of the same trade union, were arrested on May 8, 2022. They are accused by Iranian authorities of inciting labor protests, charges both their families and the French government deny.

Apart from the couple, other French citizens detained in Iran include Olivier, known only by his first name, and Louis Arnaud, a banking consultant sentenced in 2022 to five years in jail on national security charges.