Switzerland and France urge Iran for answers after prison 'suicide'

Switzerland demanded on Friday that Iranian authorities provide more information on the death of a Swiss national in an Iranian prison the day before, News.az reports citing Deutsche Welle.

The Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) said it had been informed of the 64-year-old man's arrest on Dec 10 on suspicion of espionage.

"Switzerland is demanding that the Iranian authorities provide detailed information on the reasons for his arrest and a full investigation into the circumstances of his death," the FDFA said in a statement.

France protests three 'hostages' in Iran

Also on Friday, France summoned Iran's ambassador to protest three of its citizens in detention for years, with the Foreign Ministry saying their conditions were tantamount to torture, and calling them "hostages of the state of the Islamic republic of Iran."

"Their situation is unbeareable, with undignified detention conditions that, for some, constitute torture under international law," the Ministry saiid.

Officials in France have adopted a harder tone towards Tehran in recent weeks, both on the detention of European citizens and other issues like Iran's nuclear program.

Senior French, British and German diplomats are set to meet their Iranian counterparts in Geneva on Monday to discuss bilateral issues and the potential future of nuclear talks, in probably the last meeting of its kind before Donald Trump's return to the White House on January 20.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot highlighted the prisoners earlier in the week, saying their situation was worsening.

News.Az