Released American Student: Now is Not a Good Time to Travel to Iran

An American student who was imprisoned in Iran and recently released as part of a prisoner exchange between the Iranian and American governments said in an interview with CNN on Thursday that interrogators accused him of intending to overthrow the Iranian government and held him in solitary confinement for about a month. According to Reuters, Matthew Trewitick, who went to Iran to learn Persian, stated that the interrogators at Evin Prison accused him of having access to millions of dollars and knowledge of secret weapon caches. In his first television interview after being released on January 16, he described the events that transpired over 41 days, including his arrest, conditions of imprisonment, and treatment in prison. When asked what advice he has for tourists and students wishing to travel to Iran, he said, 'I do not recommend anyone to go to Iran. Unfortunately, I believe the conditions are still not suitable for travel. I do not encourage anyone to go to Iran.' This student from Massachusetts traveled to Iran last September and, according to his family, intended to study at an educational center affiliated with Tehran University. Matthew Trewitick told CNN that at the time of his arrest and direct transfer to Evin Prison, he was about to finish his studies and was planning to return to the U.S. for Christmas break. He added that he had been in solitary confinement for 29 days before being transferred to the general ward. One of the prison guards had asked him if he knew Jason Rezaian, a journalist for the Washington Post who had been imprisoned for over a year. He replied, 'Of course I know him; the whole world knows him.' The guard then told him that neither he nor Rezaian would ever be freed. This moment clarified the situation for him, and he fully felt that he was a prisoner. Matthew Trewitick, who was imprisoned alongside four other Americans, including Jason Rezaian, was released about two weeks ago, coinciding with the announcement of the lifting of sanctions against Iran as part of the prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Iran. In another part of this television interview, he said he told his interrogators in prison that it was impossible to overthrow the regime with the items he had: 'All I have are a few textbooks I bought in Tehran, a newspaper, some pens, and a few small computer drives. The interrogators replied, 'Overthrowing the regime is your plan, not ours.' He added that the interrogators tried to record a video of him confessing to attempting to overthrow the Iranian regime, but he refused to do so. After returning to the U.S., Matthew Trewitick went out with his mother and had a hamburger, eagerly anticipating watching the new installment of the Star Wars series. He concluded his interview with CNN by saying, 'Returning home is really great.'