Continued Detention of Dual Nationals in Iran Despite Statements from Islamic Republic Officials

Fars News Agency, affiliated with the security institutions of the Islamic Republic, claimed that the "unknown soldiers" of the Ministry of Intelligence have arrested the "leaders of anti-Iranian protests" who were active against Iran in various countries during a "complex and precise operation." Some sources have reported that among those detained is Reza Shahri, a well-known dual national "Iranian-German" barber. As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the Islamic Republic regarding the circumstances of these arrests, but government-affiliated media have released a video showing what appears to be the "forced confessions" of these individuals. The released video claims that at least three Iranians who were residing in Germany, the UK, and the US during last year's protests are among those arrested. The detention of dual nationals in Iran by the Islamic Republic has a long history. Over the past four decades, the Islamic Republic has arrested numerous dual nationals and citizens of other countries in Iran, and in some cases, even abducted them from abroad and brought them into the country. Despite the long list of dual national prisoners in Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister, stated yesterday that a "comprehensive bill to support Iranians abroad" is on the agenda of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and this bill has a "special focus on dual nationals" to "provide facilities for them." Amir-Abdollahian claimed on Tuesday, September 12, that one of the issues of concern for the Islamic Republic is that Iranians abroad can easily travel to their "motherland." He asserted that narratives regarding the treatment of dual nationals are "false propaganda aimed at instilling fear of Iran" and urged "all Iranians" to "continue their travels to Iran without concern." The Foreign Minister's controversial remarks urged dual nationals to travel to the country without worry, while the Iranian government is accused of "hostage-taking" and using it to gain leverage from other countries. Nizar Zaka, a Lebanese-American citizen who has experienced imprisonment while traveling to Iran, tweeted in response to similar statements from Amir-Abdollahian in 2021: "You were in the Foreign Ministry when your government invited me and abducted me." Ibrahim Raisi, in a 2021 television interview, described "Islamic Iran" as "the best, safest, and most profitable place in the world" for Iranians abroad. Kazem Gharibabadi, Secretary of the Human Rights Headquarters of the Judiciary, also stated in December 2021 that "all Iranians residing abroad can come to Iran." These claims come amid the case of Ahmadreza Jalali, a doctor and university professor in Sweden, who was one of the dual nationals who traveled to Iran in May 2016 at the invitation of Tehran University but was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic on charges of "espionage for Israel" and sentenced to death. Nazanin Zaghari, a British-Iranian citizen, was another dual national prisoner who was arrested while leaving Iran on April 4, 2016, and sentenced to approximately five years in prison on charges of "espionage." Zaghari was released from prison in March 2022 after years of imprisonment, along with Anooshah Ashouri, another British-Iranian citizen, and returned to Britain after leaving Iran. Siamak and Baqer Namazi, Emad Sharqi, Morad Tahbaz, and Nahid Taghavi are other dual national prisoners from past years in Iran. Baqer Namazi was released last year. Jamshid Sharmeh, a German-Iranian citizen who, according to his family, was abducted by the security forces of the Islamic Republic in Dubai in 2020, is also facing the death penalty on charges of "terrorism." Recently, the United States and officials of the Islamic Republic announced the exchange of five prisoners in exchange for the "release" of blocked funds in South Korea.