Franco-Irish citizen sentenced to 6.5 years in Iran as health worsens - family

FILE PHOTO: Pictures of people who died during demonstrations in Iran are displayed as Iranian community members and supporters of the National Council of Iran take part in a protest in solidarity with Iranian people, in Paris, France, February 12, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman

PARIS (Reuters) - Iran has sentenced Franco-Irish citizen Bernard Phelan to 6.5 years in prison for "providing information to another country", his sister said in a statement, adding that her 64-year-old brother was at risk of dying in custody.

Ties between France and Iran have deteriorated in recent months with Tehran detaining seven French nationals in what Paris has said are arbitrary arrests that are equivalent to state hostage taking.