A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department expressed happiness over the release of three prisoners from Iranian jails in response to Voice of America, stating that the U.S. is committed to securing the freedom of all American hostages in the Islamic Republic. The spokesperson added, 'We are tirelessly working to bring back all nationals wrongfully detained abroad, and we will not stop until they are reunited with their loved ones.' This U.S. official emphasized that the Islamic Republic has a long history of 'kidnapping' and unjustly imprisoning foreign nationals as a 'political lever.' The U.S. State Department also responded to Voice of America regarding the release of European citizens, saying, 'We are pleased that two Austrian citizens and one Danish citizen have been released from Iran and returned to their homes and families.' On Friday, June 2, the Austrian Foreign Minister announced the release of Kamran Ghaderi and Masoud Mosahab, two Iranian-Austrian dual citizens imprisoned in Iran. A Danish prisoner has also been released from Iranian jails, although their identity has not yet been disclosed. The release of these three European citizens comes about three weeks after the release of two French citizens and a French-Irish citizen named Benjamin Brier and Bernard Filan. Additionally, last Friday, the governments of Iran and Oman, with the mediation of the Sultanate of Oman, exchanged Assadollah Assadi, a diplomat convicted of involvement in a terrorist act, for Olivier Vandecasteele, a Belgian aid worker. Western countries have labeled the imprisonment of their citizens by the Islamic Republic as 'political kidnapping' and have repeatedly urged the Islamic Republic to end this 'cruel' practice. However, the Islamic Republic continues to detain and imprison Western and dual citizens on charges such as 'espionage' and 'actions against national security' without providing any evidence or documentation.
The U.S. Says the Islamic Republic Has a Long History of 'Kidnapping' Foreign Nationals for 'Political Purposes'
The U.S. State Department has condemned the Islamic Republic for its long-standing practice of detaining foreign nationals for political leverage, expressing commitment to securing the release of American hostages. Recently, three European citizens were released from Iranian prisons, which follows a pattern of Western nations calling out Iran's actions as political kidnapping. This issue highlights ongoing tensions between Iran and Western countries regarding human rights and diplomatic relations.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
The U.S. condemns Iran for kidnapping foreign nationals for political leverage.
- U.S. State Department announce Iran
- Iran release Austrian citizens, Danish citizen
- Iran and Oman exchange Assadollah Assadi, Olivier Vandecasteele
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The U.S. and Western nations condemn Iran's practice of political kidnapping.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%