Resolution Passed in Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the Release of American Prisoners in Iran

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution on Friday, October 6, calling on the Iranian government to release American citizens and permanent residents imprisoned in the country. This resolution, which has bipartisan support from both Republican and Democratic representatives, also urges the Trump administration to prioritize efforts to free these individuals who have been sentenced to prison 'unjustly.' The Senate committee's resolution comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries. Mr. Trump's national security advisors claim that Iran has not adhered to the spirit of the nuclear agreement signed in 2015. The resolution is expected to be voted on in the Senate chamber in the coming weeks. The new Senate resolution asks the U.S. government to consider the issue of freeing American prisoners in Iran as a key point in any negotiations with Iran. Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, stated alongside the resolution, 'The Iranian regime has unjustly imprisoned and interrogated Americans and dual citizens to gain economic or political concessions. The release of these prisoners—whether American citizens or permanent residents—must be our top priority.' Senator Bob Menendez, a Democratic senator from New Jersey, also remarked that if Iran wants to be accepted by the international community, it must stop hostage-taking. One of the main criticisms of the JCPOA agreement was the cash payment made by the Obama administration to Iran. Critics believe this payment encouraged Iran to engage in more 'hostage-taking.' Baqer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, Karan Vafadari, and Xiyu Wang are American citizens detained in Iran. Nizar Zaka and Afrin Niyasari, who have permanent residency in the U.S., are also being held in Iran. Lawyers for Baqer Namazi and Nizar Zaka recently announced that their clients' health conditions are not good. In addition to American citizens, individuals from the UK, France, Germany, and Canada are also imprisoned in Iran. Abdolrasool Daryaei Isfahani, a member of the Iranian nuclear negotiation team from the 2015 talks, who holds dual Iranian-Canadian citizenship, has been detained for over a year on charges of 'spying for the West' and was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday. The Senate resolution also calls for the return of Robert Levinson to the U.S. This American citizen has been missing in Iran since 2007. The Iranian government claims it has no information about his fate. Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated that the Iranian government promised to cooperate in finding Robert Levinson. In this context, the Tehran prosecutor has rejected appeals regarding the sentences of the Namazis, Wang, and Zaka. The UN Secretary-General has called on Hassan Rouhani to release Baqer Namazi from prison. The working group on arbitrary detention has demanded the release of Siamak and Baqer Namazi. A news agency close to the IRGC reported on the five-year prison sentence for a member of the nuclear team.