Iran arrests 18-year-old French-German cyclist Lennart Monterlius

Hengaw – Friday, July 11, 2025

Iranian security forces have arrested 18-year-old French-German citizen Lennart Monterlius amid the escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Monterlius, an avid cyclist traveling through Iran, was detained on Monday, June 16, 2025.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, confirmed his arrest in an interview with Le Monde, stating that Monterlius was being held on unspecified criminal charges.

Earlier, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Monterlius had entered Iran and had not contacted his family since June 16.

According to Le Parisien, Monterlius began a 400-day cycling journey from France to Japan last year and had shared photos from his travels, including his route through Iran, on Instagram.

No further information has been released regarding the charges against him, his current location, or his condition.