Iran says French-German bicycle owner Lennart Monterlos detained for committing unspecified infraction

Paris — Iran’s overseas minister has confirmed that his nation is detaining a teenage French-German bicycle owner who disappeared final month, French newspaper Le Monde reported Friday. The bicycle owner, Lennart Monterlos, “was detained for having dedicated an infraction,” the newspaper quoted Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying within the interview Thursday.

He did not elaborate on the character of the alleged offense.

Araghchi mentioned France’s Embassy in Tehran had been notified, the newspaper added. It mentioned that Monterlos was biking throughout Iran and hasn’t been heard from since mid-June.

France’s Overseas Ministry did not verify the detention however mentioned that it was in touch with Iranian authorities about “the scenario of our nationwide” and likewise with the household.

Citing issues for his safety, it mentioned it had no different remark. It reiterated earlier warnings that French nationals should not journey to Iran. The bicycle owner is the third French nationwide recognized to be detained in Iran, which is accused by France of training hostage diplomacy.

Two others, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, have been held in Iran for greater than three years in jail circumstances that France likens to torture and on fees that Paris says are with out basis.

“Iran practices a deliberate coverage of state hostages,” the French Overseas Ministry mentioned this week. “All French nationals who discover themselves there expose themselves to a threat of arrest and arbitrary detention, together with vacationers, for the only purpose of getting French nationality.”

German Overseas Ministry spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer informed reporters in Berlin that the ministry is conscious of the case of the detained bicycle owner, however has no remark past that. Germany additionally warns its residents towards journey to Iran.

The USA’ authorities additionally strongly urges People to not journey to Iran, citing the danger of arbitrary detention. Monterlos was final heard from at across the similar time that Israel launched a sequence of assaults towards Iran’s nuclear and army amenities. President Trump ordered the U.S. army to affix these strikes on June 21, with large “bunker-buster” bombs used to inflict critical injury on three of Iran’s nuclear websites.

Israel and Iran have been at conflict for 12 days, and an American bicycle owner informed CBS Information about his tense escape from the Islamic Republic as Israeli bombs fell.

On June 15, Ian Andersen, who had been biking by the nation for a pair weeks at that stage and had been welcomed by Iranians, heard the explosions from Israeli strikes within the distance. He mentioned he acquired an e mail from the U.S. State Division that day, advising him of choices for People wishing to go away the nation.

Andersen opted to embark on an eight-hour drive north to achieve the border with Azerbaijan. After getting caught in a dense site visitors jam as residents of the capital metropolis Tehran fled after which navigating many army checkpoints, Andersen reached the border, however was then subjected two separate exit interviews — together with one by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“That is the place I used to be like, ‘OK, I’ve obtained a 50-50 likelihood of being taken both as a bargaining chip or for additional questioning,'” he mentioned of the expertise.

In the long run, Andersen was allowed to go away after only a few questions, however he described the expertise as “fairly harrowing.”