French envoy visits spy suspect

Clotilde Reiss had spent five months in Iran teaching French

A French woman held by Iranian authorities on suspicion of spying has been visited in prison by the French ambassador to Iran.

Clotilde Reiss, 23, was stopped on 1 July as she prepared to leave Tehran, having spent five months as a university teaching assistant.

The French Foreign Ministry said Miss Reiss was in good health and "very solid mentally", although worried.

It added that the spying allegation was "absolutely baseless".

"The ambassador (Bernard Poletti) was able to pass on messages from her family as well as clothes and books," the ministry said.

The French president and foreign minister have already called for her release.

Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has told parliament that Miss Reiss had been present at demonstrations after Iran's disputed presidential election and had posted some photos and comments on the internet.

Tensions between Iran and Western countries - including France - have risen since the election last month which saw incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected.

Mass street protests erupted, with at least 17 people dying in clashes, and the government clamped down on foreign media.