2009-12-24 7:45pm
French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke by phone on Thursday with a French academic on trial in Iran for allegedly taking part in anti-government protests, his office said.
Sarkozy telephoned Clotilde Reiss as she was celebrating Christmas in the French embassy in Tehran, where she has stayed since being granted bail in August.
"The head of state assured her of his total support and said he hoped to see her return to France soon to be with her own people," the Elysee palace said in a statement.
