A Look at American Citizens Released from Iran

On Monday, September 18, a flight carrying American citizens imprisoned in Iran departs Tehran for Doha as part of an agreement for a prisoner exchange. Thus, the implementation process of the prisoner exchange agreement between Iran and the United States and the transfer of frozen assets of the Islamic Republic is nearing its final stages. About three weeks ago, in a significant development 'on the path to freedom' for five dual-national Americans imprisoned in the Islamic Republic's prisons, four of them were transferred to house arrest 'in a hotel in Tehran', which seemed to be 'a step forward' in the 'hostage exchange agreement' between the United States and Iran. One person was already under house arrest. This is the first step of an agreement under which $6 billion of Iran's blocked assets in South Korea will be released in exchange for allowing these five American citizens to leave Iran. The Persian section of Voice of America here takes a brief look at the conditions of three released Iranian-American citizens. Emad Sharqi, who spent his fifth year of imprisonment in Iran last month, was sent to Evin Prison on April 22, 2018, on charges such as 'espionage and undermining national security'. This Iranian-American businessman and investor was acquitted and released after eight months but was arrested again and sentenced to ten years in prison. Coinciding with Emad Sharqi's fifth year of imprisonment, senior American officials, including Robert Malley, the special representative for Iran, Robert Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Vedant Patel, the deputy spokesperson for the State Department, called for the immediate release of this dual-national Iranian-American citizen. Emad Sharqi's wife and two daughters have repeatedly requested meetings with Joe Biden in recent months. The family of Emad Sharqi, along with the families of other Iranian-American citizens imprisoned by the Islamic Republic, gathered in front of the White House on May 2 this year, urging the President of the United States to prioritize the release of their loved ones from the clutches of the Islamic regime. Neda Sharqi, Emad Sharqi's sister, who was present at this gathering, announced in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America the establishment of a campaign 'Bring Our Family Home', stating: 'We plan to introduce Iranian-American hostages imprisoned in the Islamic Republic's prisons to the American people and media with the help of a group of released American hostages and try to meet with President Biden.' Siamak Namazi, this Iranian-American businessman was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic on October 13, 2015. Baqer Namazi, Siamak Namazi's father, was also arrested on March 3 of the same year upon entering Iran to visit his son. Siamak and Baqer were sentenced to ten years in prison on October 19, 2016, on charges such as cooperating with a foreign government. Baqer Namazi, who was 79 years old at the time of his arrest, was allowed to leave Iran last October at the age of 85 after six and a half years of imprisonment. Siamak, who is currently 52 years old and has spent more time in prison than any other Iranian-American citizen, went on a hunger strike for a week last winter on the seventh anniversary of his imprisonment in Iran. After breaking his hunger strike, he requested in an interview with CNN that Joe Biden, the President of the United States, hear his voice and that of other Iranian-American prisoners. Morad Tahbaz, this 67-year-old Iranian-American businessman and environmental activist, who also holds British citizenship, was arrested in February 2018. Mr. Tahbaz was sentenced to ten years in prison in February 2020 on charges such as cooperating with the United States. Simultaneously with the release of Nazanin Zaghari and Anooshah Ashouri in March 2022, Morad Tahbaz was also temporarily released for 48 hours from prison and then returned to prison. He went on a hunger strike for nine days last April and ended it after repeated requests from his family. Tara Tahbaz, Morad Tahbaz's daughter, told Reuters in early May that her father has prostate cancer and has contracted COVID-19 three times in prison. Roxana Tahbaz, another daughter of Morad Tahbaz, also stated in an interview with The Guardian last year that the British Foreign Office has forgotten her father and family. Austria announced the release and return of two of its imprisoned citizens from Iran; Belgium: a Dane has also been released. Olivier Vandecasteele, upon returning to Belgium, stated: 'We must work for the release of other hostages.' The lawyer of Siamak Namazi and the wife of Shahab Dalili denied the claim of 'release of dual-national prisoners'. Iran and Belgium exchanged two prisoners; a Belgian aid worker and Assadollah Assadi, a jailed diplomat, were released. Countdown | 'From Arrest to Exchange' of an Iranian diplomat convicted of terrorism with a Belgian aid worker. London warns: having a British passport is sufficient reason for imprisonment in Iran. Darya Safai told Voice of America: 'Assadi is a released terrorist, and this day is a 'very bitter and dark' day. France and Ireland confirmed the release of two of their imprisoned citizens in Iran. Exclusive; the sister of 'Benjamin Brier': we are worried about other hostages. Habib Asiyoud, an Iranian-Swedish citizen, was executed. Robert Menendez: Dictators 'from Tehran to Moscow' unjustly detain American citizens. Families of Americans detained abroad have once again called for a meeting with Biden. France welcomes the release of Fariba Adelkhah, an Iranian-French researcher. Alireza Akbari, a former government official, was executed. Baqer Namazi, an Iranian-American citizen, was released from Iran after 6.5 years in prison.