French Teen Cyclist Vanishes in Iran After Entering Country One Day Before Israel War
18-year-old was on a solo bike journey to Japan—last seen before Iran launched crackdown on Westerners amid war outbreak
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Lennart Montralos, an 18-year-old French national, disappeared in Iran just days after entering the country on his bicycle—on June 12, one day before Israel launched its war against the Islamic Republic.
According to his family and France’s Foreign Ministry, Montralos was officially declared missing on June 16, as Iranian authorities tightened their grip on all foreign visitors, particularly Westerners, amid fears of espionage. His case is now part of a growing list of Western nationals caught in Iran’s widening crackdown.
The young adventurer had embarked on a solo cycling journey across Eurasia, planning to travel from Europe to Japan by bike. He began his trip in August 2024 and had already crossed dozens of countries, covering over 35,000 kilometers across 35 nations, including high-altitude passes of nearly 4,700 meters above sea level.
Montralos had crowdfunded his journey, framing it as a “pause before university” and documenting his travels online. “I love to read and travel through books—now I want to travel through the real world on two wheels,” he wrote on his donation page.
But his arrival in Iran coincided with one of the most volatile moments in recent Middle East history. War erupted between Israel and Iran just 24 hours after he legally entered the country. Since then, he has not been heard from.
The French Foreign Ministry has expressed "deep concern" about his disappearance. Iran is currently detaining at least two other French nationals at the notorious Evin Prison, accusing them of spying for Mossad.
Speaking to RTL News on Monday, French Minister for Citizens Abroad, Laurent Saint-Martin, emphasized the risks: “We strongly advise against travel to certain countries for a reason—consular protection is a right, but we cannot shield citizens from reckless decisions in hostile environments.”
While Montralos’s family still hopes he is alive, the lack of contact and the timing of his disappearance have fueled fears he may be detained—or worse. The case adds new urgency to diplomatic tensions between France and Iran, as Western nationals increasingly become pawns in Tehran’s shadow war with the West.