Iranian officials acknowledged over the weekend their detention of Lennart Montrelos, an 18-year-old dual French-German national whose ambitious bicycle expedition from Europe to Japan was cut short by his arrest in Iran. The incident marks the latest addition to an escalating pattern of Western citizens being seized by Iranian authorities, who Western diplomats allege are using these detentions as leverage in international negotiations.
Montrelos had launched his transcontinental adventure in France with plans to traverse Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan en route to his final destination in Japan. His journey came to an abrupt halt in mid-June when he vanished while venturing into the desert region surrounding Varzaneh in central Iran. Throughout his expedition, he had maintained an active social media presence, with his final Instagram post on June 15 declaring "Day 152 of the adventure from France to Japan. I'm heading out on a desert journey in the heat to discover the sand dunes near Varzaneh."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged the detention during a Thursday interview with French publication Le Monde, confirming that Montrelos faces charges for "committing a crime" while declining to elaborate on the specific allegations. Araghchi indicated that Iranian authorities had formally notified the French embassy in Tehran of the arrest.
French Prime Minister François Bayrou verified the detention while emphasizing that French officials are deliberately limiting public disclosure to avoid jeopardizing ongoing diplomatic efforts for Montrelos' release. The French Foreign Ministry confirmed its engagement with both Iranian authorities and the detained cyclist's family, though officials declined to provide further specifics citing concerns for his wellbeing. German authorities have similarly confirmed they are tracking the developing situation.
Lennart Monterlos est le jeune français de 18 ans disparu en Iran depuis le 16 juin. Dans cette vidéo il se moque des recommandations du Quai d'Orsay de ne pas se rendre en Iran.
L'Iran est l'un des plus beaux pays du monde mais N'y allez pas. pic.twitter.com/06KvXvgza2— Nath-K (@KaanNathalie) July 7, 2025
"Deliberate policy of holding hostages"
The Montrelos case compounds the ongoing detention of two other French nationals, Cecile Koller, 40, and Jacques Perrin, 72, who were seized in May 2022 on espionage charges allegedly connected to Israel. Both individuals endured three years of imprisonment in Tehran's infamous Evin prison, a facility that predominantly houses Western nationals and dual citizens who Iranian authorities frequently deploy as diplomatic bargaining tools.
French diplomatic officials released a pointed condemnation this week, declaring that "Iran pursues a deliberate policy of holding hostages. Every French citizen on its territory is exposed to the risk of arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, including tourists, solely because of their French citizenship."
Hostage Aid Worldwide estimates indicate that no fewer than 15 European citizens and individuals holding dual nationality from France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Cyprus and Britain remain incarcerated in Iranian facilities.
These developments reinforce existing travel advisories issued by France, Germany and numerous other nations, which strongly discourage citizen travel to Iran due to documented risks of arbitrary detention and severe imprisonment conditions.
