Blinken Welcomes Release of Five American Citizens; Warns Americans: Do Not Travel to Iran for Any Reason

On Monday, September 18, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement welcoming the release of five dual-national prisoners and urged American citizens not to travel to Iran for any reason and to leave the country immediately if they are there. Blinken stated that Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharqi, Morad Tahbaz, and two other American citizens who wish to remain anonymous have left Iran and are on their way to the United States to reunite with their loved ones. He added that two of their relatives, who are also American and had not been allowed to leave Iran until today, are accompanying them. According to him, "some of these individuals have spent years in prison as part of the Iranian regime's cruel practice of unlawful detention, but today they are all returning home to their loved ones." Blinken emphasized the priority of freeing American citizens detained abroad, noting that under President Joe Biden's leadership, more than 30 wrongfully detained Americans have been returned to the U.S. He also thanked Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and officials from that country for their role in securing the release of these individuals and establishing a "humanitarian channel in Qatar for purchasing goods such as food, medicine, medical equipment, and agricultural products from Iran." Blinken also expressed gratitude to Switzerland, South Korea, Oman, and the UK. The U.S. Secretary of State referenced the 16th anniversary of the abduction of Bob Levinson and called on the Islamic Republic to provide a "full account of what happened to Bob Levinson." He stated that the U.S. would use the "Levinson Act" and other tools to promote accountability for the Iranian regime and other regimes that engage in the ruthless practice of wrongful detention. Blinken reiterated the State Department's travel warning, advising citizens: "Do not travel to Iran." He noted that despite the release of this group of American citizens, a similar outcome cannot be guaranteed for other Americans who travel to Iran despite warnings. He concluded by repeating his warning: "American citizens should not travel to Iran for any reason, and I urge any American citizen in Iran to leave [the country] immediately." Prior to Blinken, President Biden also welcomed the release of the five dual nationals and urged American citizens not to travel to Iran. He specifically thanked Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad of Qatar and Haitham bin Tariq, Sultan of Oman, for their assistance in facilitating this agreement through months of difficult and principled American diplomacy, as well as South Korea. The U.S. President emphasized the need for accountability from the Islamic Republic regarding "those who did not return today," mentioning Bob Levinson and announcing sanctions against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Ministry of Intelligence under the "Levinson Act" due to their involvement in these detentions, asserting that the U.S. would continue to impose costs on the Iranian regime for their "provocative actions" in the region. Biden reiterated the serious dangers of traveling to Iran for all Americans, stating: "American passport holders should not travel there." He referenced the State Department's travel warning about the risks of "kidnapping and arbitrary detention of American citizens" in Iran, urging all Americans to heed these warnings and not to expect that their freedom can be guaranteed if they ignore them. The U.S. President concluded by noting the return of American citizens from countries such as Russia, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and others, stating that from day one, the return of wrongfully detained Americans has been a priority for his administration and that efforts to bring all of them home would continue. Meanwhile, Nasser Kanani, spokesman for the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry, announced in a press conference today that the prisoner exchange between Iran and the U.S. would take place today. This official also reported that "Iran's freed assets in South Korea" would today be "available to the government and the nation." Reuters also reported on Monday that Qatar informed Washington and Tehran that Iran's funds worth $6 billion have been transferred to banks in Doha. Mohammad Reza Farzin, head of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic, announced in a press conference that €5.573 billion has been deposited into accounts of six Iranian banks at Al Ahli and Al Dukhan banks in Qatar. This official named the banks that have opened accounts in Qatar as Agricultural Bank, Saman, Pasargad, Tourism, Kaarafarin, and Shahr. The head of the Central Bank also stated that "all payments will be made by international brokers via SWIFT." Five Iranian-American citizens had been transferred from prison to a location outside of prison since August 10 following the announcement of an agreement between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic. This agreement also includes the transfer of $6 billion from Iran's blocked funds in South Korea to Qatar and the release of five Iranians who have been "convicted or accused" in the U.S. According to the spokesman for the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry, two of these Iranians "will return to Iran based on their own interest and desire, one will join his family in a third country, and two others wish to remain in the U.S." Iranian officials had previously described the prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Iran as a "humanitarian" issue and denied that the exchange of prisoners was in exchange for released blocked funds. On August 10, Iran transferred four dual-national prisoners from Evin prison to another controlled location, reportedly in a hotel in Tehran. The fifth had previously been placed under house arrest. Antony Blinken stated on that day that this action was the first step in a process leading to the return of these five individuals to the U.S. Siamak Namazi, 51, Emad Sharqi, 59, both businessmen, and Morad Tahbaz, 67, an environmental activist, are three of the five dual nationals released. The identities of the fourth and fifth individuals have not been disclosed, but it is reported that one of them is a woman. On the other hand, the Iranians released in the U.S. have committed serious crimes such as circumventing U.S. sanctions against Iran. Voice of America previously reported the names of these individuals as Amin Hassan Zadeh, Mehrdad Ansari, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour Kafri, and Kaveh Lotfollah Afrasiabi.