The French Foreign Ministry has reiterated warnings over travelling to Iran after an 18-year-old tourist on a cycling trip in the country went missing, describing his disappearance as "worrying", reports RFI.
Frenchman Lennart Monterlos, who was on a cycling trip in Iran, has not been seen since 16 July.
"It's a worrying disappearance and we are in contact with the family," Laurent Saint-Martin, who is also trade minister, told RTL radio on Monday.
"It is worrying because Iran has a deliberate policy of taking Western hostages," he added.
"I can assure you that consular protection is the right of every French citizen (...) in a foreign country. But (...) if we often strongly advise against travelling to certain countries, it is precisely so as not to find ourselves at risk."
Monterlos went missing a few days after Israeli planes struck targets in Iran.
Saint-Martin did not say specifically that the Iranian authorities were holding Monterlos, who also has German nationality.