Continued Efforts to Bring American Prisoners Home and Imposition of More Sanctions Against Iranian Officials

On Thursday, the Deputy Spokesperson of the U.S. State Department emphasized ongoing efforts to bring all American prisoners home while also discussing the possibility of increased U.S. sanctions against the leaders of the Islamic Republic. Vedant Patel, in response to a question from a Voice of America reporter about the fate of Americans and dual nationals imprisoned in other countries, stated that work to bring all American prisoners home continues. He also confirmed that the issue of freeing American prisoners would be raised in meetings between U.S. officials and Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister. Patel had mentioned the ongoing negotiations for the release of six American citizens detained by the Islamic Republic, stating that the main goal of the U.S. government is the 'safe return' of all American dual nationals imprisoned in other countries, including Iran, and that negotiations are underway with officials from these countries to achieve this goal. When asked by another reporter about the possibility of the U.S. sanctioning the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Patel did not dismiss this possibility, saying, 'We will have to see what happens in the future.' He added, 'Currently, I do not have any outlook on the expansion of sanctions, but following the tragic case of Mahsa Amini, the U.S. government has not shied away from taking any action to hold accountable those responsible for this incident and human rights violators in Iran.' Patel clarified that the United States has been consistently working to hold Islamic Republic officials accountable over the past year, and as the regime continues to suppress the people and violate human rights, the U.S. will take further actions in close coordination with its partners in the region and around the world to hold the Islamic Republic accountable. In May of this year, the 'Mahsa Law' was overwhelmingly approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Following the approval of the 'Mahsa Law,' Michael McCaul, the chairman of this committee, stated, 'The Iranian regime is accused of brutally violating human rights against the people of this country, and Congress is committed to holding this regime accountable for these crimes.' According to the 'Mahsa Law,' the U.S. President must determine within 90 days of its approval, and then annually, whether individuals or entities meet the criteria for imposing sanctions, and if they do not, provide necessary explanations.