Statements from Released American Prisoners; Praising the Courage of Those Still Behind the Walls of the Islamic Republic's Prisons

On Monday, Joe Biden, the President of the United States, held a brief video call with five prisoners released from Iran. The family of Emad Sharqi announced that the call lasted from 11:23 AM to 11:31 AM Eastern Time, and Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, was also present. Neda Sharqi thanked the U.S. President for his 'political and moral courage,' to which Biden responded by asking the Sharqi family to take good care of him. Bahareh Sharqi, Emad Sharqi's wife, told Joe Biden that for the first time in five years, their home is filled with light again. Emad's wife, daughters, and sister also had brief video calls with him, expressing that Emad is very happy and grateful. Siamak Namazi, another of the five released prisoners, immediately issued a statement upon arriving in Doha, thanking all those who helped secure his freedom. He referred to the 2,898 days he spent imprisoned, stating that his most important wish is for such an event not to happen to any other person or family again. In another part of his statement, Namazi praised the courage of prisoners still behind the walls of the Islamic Republic's prisons, stating that their imprisonment is due to their demand for dignity and freedom, reflecting the truth, worshiping their God, or simply being women. He mentioned the names of prisoners such as Ahmadreza Jalali, Niloufar Bayani, Sepideh Kashani, Hooman Jokar, Taher Ghaderian, Amir Hossein Khaleghi, Sam Rajabi, and Sepehr Ziaei. In this context, the Tahbaz family expressed joy over the release and return of Morad and Vida Tahbaz after six years. They thanked Biden and his administration for making the 'difficult but necessary decision to prioritize the lives of American citizens over politics.' The Tahbaz family also expressed gratitude to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Brett McGurk, Robert Malley, and several Biden administration officials, as well as Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy. In the conclusion of their statement, the Tahbaz family expressed solidarity with the families of other wrongfully detained citizens and declared their support for their struggle for the freedom of their loved ones. Joe Biden, the President of the United States, welcomed the release of the five dual nationals on Monday, September 18, and urged American citizens not to travel to Iran. He also emphasized the need for accountability from the Islamic Republic regarding 'those who did not return today,' mentioning Bob Levinson and announcing sanctions against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Ministry of Intelligence under the 'Levinson Act' due to their involvement in these detentions, asserting that the U.S. will continue to impose costs on the Islamic Republic for their 'provocative actions' in the region. Shortly thereafter, Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, also issued a statement urging American citizens not to travel to Iran for any reason and to leave immediately if they are in the country. He referenced the 16 years since Bob Levinson's abduction and called on the Islamic Republic to provide a 'complete account of what happened to Bob Levinson.' According to him, the United States will utilize the 'Levinson Act' and other tools to promote 'accountability' for the Islamic Republic of Iran and other regimes that engage in the ruthless practice of wrongful detention.