France, April 8 -- The couple landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport shortly before 9am after travelling via Azerbaijan under diplomatic escort.

They were met on the tarmac by teams from the foreign ministry's crisis centre and were due to meet President Emmanuel Macron later in the day, the French news agency AFP reported.

Macron had announced the pair's release on Tuesday, calling it "a relief for all of us" and thanking "the Omani authorities for their mediation efforts".

On Wednesday, he said he was "extremely happy to see them arrive on French soil", adding that their return marked "the end of a terrible ordeal".

French couple held in Iran 'free and on their way to France', says Macron Years in captivity

Kohler, 41, and Paris...