The 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' Organization: This Must Be the Last Time We Pay to Retrieve Hostages

Mark Wallace, the director of the 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' organization, expressed his satisfaction on Monday regarding the return of five American citizens from Iran, while deeply criticizing the 'change in U.S. policy.' According to the statement from the 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' organization, Mark Wallace noted that the United States has long refrained from 'paying ransom to kidnappers,' stating that this effectively prices every American at $1.2 billion in the event of being taken hostage. At the same time, the director of the organization said, 'While we are happy about the return of these five hostages, what will we say to the families of others when they are taken hostage?' Wallace also emphasized, 'This must be the last time we pay for the return of American hostages, and we must make this policy clear to the Islamic Republic and other kidnappers.' He stated that at a minimum, we must collectively understand the consequences of this 'flawed U.S. policy' and create real changes to reduce the threat in two phases: 'First, the era of American travel to the Islamic Republic of Iran must end. We demand an immediate travel ban for all American citizens, including dual nationals of Iranian descent, to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Second, the United States and its allies must work together to significantly increase the costs for the Islamic Republic of engaging in 'hostage diplomacy.' Previously, Voice of America reported on September 12 that Jason Brodsky, the policy director of the 'United Against a Nuclear Iran' organization, believes that unblocking $6 billion of Iranian funds for the release of imprisoned Americans is 'excessive.' He added, 'The release of Iranians accused of crimes in the U.S. is an attempt by Tehran to create a false equivalence between the U.S. judicial system and the injustice system in the Islamic Republic.' It is worth mentioning that the dual nationals released from Iran, who arrived in Qatar on Monday afternoon, left Doha for Washington. Shortly before, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after the release of five dual nationals, issued a statement urging American citizens not to travel to Iran for any reason and to leave its territory immediately if they are there. Blinken stated at the beginning of the statement that Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharqi, Morad Tahbaz, and two other American citizens who do not wish to disclose their identities have left Iran and are on their way to the United States to reunite with their loved ones. He added that two of their relatives, who are also American and had not been allowed to leave Iran until today, are accompanying them. According to him, 'Some of these individuals have spent years in prison as part of the Iranian regime's cruel practice of unlawful detention, but today they are all returning home to their loved ones.' Blinken emphasized the priority of freeing American citizens imprisoned abroad, stating that under President Joe Biden's leadership, more than 30 unjustly detained American citizens have been returned to the U.S. He also thanked the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the officials of that country for their role in the release of these individuals and for establishing a 'humanitarian channel in Qatar for purchasing goods such as food, medicine, medical equipment, and agricultural products from Iran.' Blinken also expressed gratitude to Switzerland, South Korea, Oman, and the United Kingdom.