London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

European hostages in Iran used as political 'bargaining chips'

European hostages in Iran used as political 'bargaining chips'

Some 15 European citizens are currently detained in Iranian prisons proving a major source of diplomatic tension between Iran and the EU.
Lengthy sentences, torture and for some, the death penalty. This is the reality of an estimated 15 Europeans face who are imprisoned in Iran.

While two French citizens, Benjamin Brière and Bernard Phelan, were liberated last Friday, others are still living behind bars. “There are Europeans from lots of different nationalities, namely Swedish, British and French detainees", explains Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan, the president of the French NGO, Ensemble contre la peine de mort which fights against the use of capital punishment.

Europeans and dual nationals are systematically used as political bargaining chips by Iran. According to Chenuil-Hazan, Europe feeds into this vicious cycle, “unfortunately ‘hostage diplomacy’ works because it [Brussels] continues to negotiate for hostages”.

Who has been handed a death sentence?

Charged with organising an attack against a military parade in 2018, the execution of Swedish-Iranian Habib Farajollah Chaab in early May sparked an international backlash. Europe's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borell, "strongly condemned" the decision, with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom responding to the news with ‘dismay’.

The dual national had been living in Sweden for over a decade, he was kidnapped whilst travelling in Turkey in January 2020 by Iranian security.

“Iran did not recognise Chabib’s dual Swedish and Iranian nationality. They only saw an Iranian opponent, rather than a European. He is Swedish and he should be protected as such by international conventions,” Chenuil-Hazan said.

The case of Alireza Akbari, a British-Iranian dual national executed on charges of spying for the United Kingdom in January, also made headlines. Akbari was sentenced for 'corruption on Earth', as well as for posing a threat to national security. This is a commonplace motive according to Chenuil-Hazan, "there is this fear of spying. They see spies everywhere!"

"Since 2022 the death penalty has increasingly been used by the government to put pressure on protestors", Agnès Callamard, the Secretary-General of Amnesty, told Euronews. Iran carried out more than 576 executions in 2022, the second highest rate in the world after China, according to Amnesty International’s latest report.

As for 2023, experts fear the execution rate will rise: “Eighteen protestors have already been sentenced to death and hundreds more risk a similar fate”, said Chenuil-Hazan.

Europe’s relations with Iran

"There are a number of Iranian leaders who do not believe in maintaining relations with the West, they only believe in power plays. They are convinced that there is no point in equal negotiations" explained Thierry Coville, an expert in International Relations.

However, Coville underlined the importance of such talks: "It's not because we discuss, that we give in. Establishing a dialogue means making contact, looking at what is required, establishing a balance of power and effectively trying to achieve the objective we have been talking about, which is to get these people out of there."

“The European Parliament placed certain members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on a blacklist. However, they shouldn’t be picking individuals but instead placing the whole body on the list”, Bart Groothuis, the Vice-President of the Iran Delegation of the European Union and MEP for Renew Europe told Euronews.

Groothius - who has also been sanctioned by Iran - has urged Borrel to "come up with new forms of hostage diplomacy and work on prisoner swaps, to see what we can do to get more prisoners out of Iran."

Last January, MEPs voted in favour of a resolution that would classify the Islamic National Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorists. However, this measure was not implemented. “There needs to be a court decision first", said Borell last January.

Under EU legislation, it is up to the 27 Member States to provide consular assistance and deal with their citizens imprisoned in Iran. They may then request assistance from Brussels to complement these efforts.

However, according to Amnesty International, European governments could go further in assisting their citizens. “It is open to question whether European governments are doing all they can do. For instance, there are doubts as to whether they are attending the trials of these individuals”, underlined Callamard.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
×