Darien Dalili: I will continue my hunger strike until the U.S. government assures me it is pursuing my father's situation

Darien Dalili, the son of Shahab Dalili, has reacted to the recent announcement of a deal between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic of Iran for the release of several prisoners, noting that his father's name is not included. He began a sit-in and hunger strike in front of the White House on Friday, August 11, and on Monday, August 14, he told the Persian section of Voice of America that he would continue his protest and might move it to the U.S. State Department. He stated, "My father and I started our hunger strikes simultaneously. He is in Evin Prison in Iran, and I am in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. I want to ensure that my father is not forgotten in the negotiations between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic." On the evening of Sunday, August 13, during a solidarity event for the Dalili family, several families gathered alongside Darien and his mother, Nahid Dalili, to light candles in support of Shahab Dalili, who is imprisoned in Iran. Last week, news emerged about the release of six billion dollars of Iran's frozen assets in South Korea in exchange for the release of five Iranian-Americans imprisoned in Iran. Among these five are Emad Sharqi and Siamak Namazi, Iranian-Americans, and Morad Tahbaz, a tri-national citizen of Britain, the U.S., and Iran. The identities of two other individuals to be released in this deal have not been disclosed. Emad Sharqi was imprisoned in Evin Prison on May 23, 2018, on charges of "espionage and undermining national security". This Iranian-American businessman and investor was acquitted of all charges after eight months but was re-arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison. Siamak Namazi was arrested by the Islamic Republic's security forces on October 13, 2015. Morad Tahbaz was also detained in February 2018. Shahab Dalili, who had recently immigrated to the U.S. with his family and received permanent residency, traveled to Iran to attend his father's funeral and was arrested there. He was sentenced to ten years in prison for "collaborating with an enemy government." Jason Poblete, Shahab Dalili's lawyer in the U.S., previously stated that his client is entitled to all supportive conditions under the Robert Levinson Hostage Act, and the U.S. government should pursue his release.