Irishman pardoned and released from Iran prison
Bernard Phelan was detained in the north-eastern city of Mashad last October
At a glance
Bernard Phelan - who had been detained in Iran since last October - has been released on humanitarian grounds
He was sentenced to six-and-a-half years imprisonment in March for allegedly providing information to an enemy country
The Iranian embassy in Dublin announced the news as "constructive, diplomatic engagement"
Micheál Martin confirmed Bernard Phelan had been released and was on his way home to his family
Mr Phelan had previously gone on food and water strike in protest at his detention
- Published
A man from the Republic of Ireland who has been detained in Iran since October has been released on humanitarian grounds.
The news was confirmed by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday.
The Iranian embassy in Dublin told BBC News NI they "can confirm that the news regarding the pardon and release of Mr Bernard Phelan is correct".
Bernard Phelan, 64, is originally from Clonmel, County Tipperary, but grew up in Blackrock, County Dublin.
Ireland's Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin said he was "pleased and relieved" that Mr Phelan has been released.
"I have continually stressed the urgency of Mr. Phelan’s release on humanitarian grounds. This case has been a key priority for me," he said.
Mr Phelan had been accused of "providing information to an enemy country" and sentenced to six-and-a-half years prison in March.
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The Paris-based travel consultant had been visiting Iran since 2017, promoting the country as a tourist destination.
As a dual-citizen, Mr Phelan was travelling on a French passport at the time of his arrest.
Mr Phelan was detained on 3 October in the north-eastern city of Mashad during a wave of anti-government protests that have seen millions take to the streets.
He was held for allegedly taking photographs of police officers and a mosque that had been burned.
The Irish foreign minister said: "The last seven months have been a very difficult ordeal for Bernard and for his family and I am pleased and relieved that this is now at an end."
His sister, Caroline Massé-Phelan, told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that her brother was in "the wrong place at the wrong time".
"He was hauled off the road, bag over his head," Ms Massé-Phelan said.
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Mr Phelan has hypertensive heart disease and chronic bone and eyesight issues, prompting an appeal for his release on humanitarian grounds.
In January, Mr Phelan went on a food and water strike in protest at his arrest, sparking international concern for his case.
At the time of his sentencing, Ms Massé-Phelan urged the Irish government to do more for her brother.
"Bernard is ailing now and he's on death watch. Time is running out," she told RTÉ.
A vigil was organised outside the Iranian embassy in Dublin on 30 March.
His family also recorded a YouTube video, campaigning for his release, with his 97-year-old father, Vincent, stating that he was worried he would never see his son again.
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Mr Phelan was held in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad, where conditions were reported as being cramped, with 16 people sharing a cell amid freezing night-time temperatures.
It is understood some of those in Mr Phelan's cell block had been executed during his stay.
In a statement, the Iranian embassy in Ireland said Mr Phelan had been indicted and later sentenced "for infringing local laws and disregarding imperatives of national security in Iran".
It said that since his arrest and throughout the judicial process "he enjoyed all consular, legal and personal protections, including medical services in a standard prison".
It added that "to maintain necessary security of its own people and the safety of millions of its visitors, Iran has taken apposite measures in the face of recent threats and challenges posed to it by recent incidents of foreign-sponsored sabotage, assassination and terrorist attacks on innocent people".
It also said it was unfortunate "that many media outlets and pressure groups spared no effort to politicise Mr Phelan's case and try to derail it from its judicial and consular tracks by ill-framing the case and smearing the image" of Iran.
Watch: The protests in Iran have their roots in changes made after the 1979 revolution
Iran is holding at least 17 Western nationals, many with dual-citizenship.
In January French government officials issued a statement confirming that Mr Phelan was one of seven French nationals currently held in Iran.
Supporters of those detained say foreign nationals are being used by Tehran as "bargaining chips" for negotiations.
Mr Martin said he was "deeply appreciative of the efforts of the French government" and acknowledged the assistance of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in relation to Mr Phelan’s release.
He also welcomed the release of Benjamin Briére, a French national who was detained alongside Mr Phelan.
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