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Iran 'to release' French lecturer Iran 'to release' French lecturer
(40 minutes later)
A French academic charged with spying in Iran after last year's disputed election will be allowed to leave the country on Sunday, says her lawyer. A French lecturer charged with spying in Iran after last June's disputed election will be allowed to leave the country on Sunday, says her lawyer.
Clotilde Reiss, who has been staying at the French embassy in Tehran on bail, has had the main charge against her dropped, according to her lawyer. Clotilde Reiss was sentenced to 10 years in jail at a hearing on Saturday, but this was commuted to a fine of $285,000 (£190,000), said her lawyer.
The 25-year-old was accused of taking part in protests that erupted after last June's presidential election. The 25-year-old was accused of espionage and e-mailing photographs of anti-government protests.
She has been ordered to pay a fine of $300,000 (£200,000) for lesser charges. The French foreign ministry said it was "awaiting her return without delay".
Her lawyer, Mohammad Ali Mahdavi, said on Saturday he had paid the sum on her behalf, although he did not specify the reduced charges. She has been staying at the French embassy in the capital Tehran since she was bailed six weeks after her arrest in July last year.
France frees IranianFrance frees Iranian
A spokesman for the French foreign ministry, Bernard Valero, told news agency AP that France was "awaiting her return without delay". Ms Reiss had been on a six-month teaching and research assignment in the central city of Isfahan.
Ms Reiss, a university lecturer, was arrested last July and bailed a month later. Her lawyer, Mohammad Ali Mahdavi, said he had paid the fine on her behalf and would collect her passport from the authorities on Sunday.
She had been on a six-month teaching and research assignment in the central city of Isfahan. The BBC's Hugh Schofield in the French capital says that with France at the forefront of efforts to punish Iran for its nuclear programme, there has been suspicion Ms Reiss was being held to put pressure on Paris.
The development comes a week France freed an Iranian engineer whom it detained for allegedly exporting electronic parts illegally to sell to Iran's military. Last week, France freed an Iranian engineer whom it detained for allegedly exporting electronic parts illegally to sell to Iran's military.
The US had wanted to extradite Majid Kakavand, but a French court rejected the request last week and he was allowed return home.The US had wanted to extradite Majid Kakavand, but a French court rejected the request last week and he was allowed return home.