PARIS, May 16 — France today condemned the sentencing of French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah in Iran and demanded her immediate release.

"This sentencing is not based on any serious element or fact and is thus a political decision,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "We are urging Iranian authorities to immediately release Mrs Adelkhah.”

Iran has sentenced Adelkhah to six years in prison on national security charges, her lawyer said earlier today. — Reuters