TEHRAN — Iranian national Mahdieh Esfandiari returned to Iran in early 2026 after being held in France for more than a year on terrorism promotion charges linked to pro-Palestinian online comments. Esfandiari was sentenced to one year in prison after making online comments supportive of Palestine and the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Esfandiari was arrested in France in February 2025 on charges of promoting terrorism. She remained in custody for several months before being released on bail in October 2025. She subsequently returned to Iran after more than a year subject to French legal proceedings.

Speaking on state television after arriving back in Tehran, Esfandiari said: "It's clear for everyone that there is no freedom of speech, at least not in France where I was. The court's ruling was very unjust."