Trump Warns of Serious Consequences for Not Releasing American Detainees in Iran

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has warned Iran that it will face serious and new consequences if it does not release American citizens imprisoned in the country. The White House announced on Friday, July 30, that Trump and his administration have intensified their efforts to secure the return and freedom of all American citizens who are unjustly detained worldwide. The statement added that the United States condemns hostage-takers and countries that continue to detain our citizens without reason or due process. The White House statement noted that Iran has used detention and hostage-taking as a tool of state policy for forty years, with the recent example being the detention of Xiao Wang, who has been sentenced to ten years in prison. Xiao Wang, a Chinese-American researcher at Princeton University, was detained about a year ago, but news of his arrest was released on Sunday when the Iranian judiciary spokesperson announced his prison sentence for 'illegal entry' into the country and 'sending confidential information abroad.' The White House emphasized that Iran is responsible for the well-being of all American citizens imprisoned in the country. The White House stated that President Trump demands the return of Robert Levinson and the release of Baquer Namazi, Siamak Namazi, and all Americans imprisoned in Iran. Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent, has been missing for ten years, with reports stating he was last seen on Kish Island. However, the Iranian government claims it has no information about Levinson's fate or whereabouts. Reports indicate that in addition to Xiao Wang, three other Iranian-American citizens are imprisoned in Iran: Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, and Karan Vafadari. Afrin Nissari, the wife of Karan Vafadari, and Nizar Zaka, both of whom are U.S. residents, are also imprisoned in Iran. Baquer Namazi, 81, a former UNICEF official, was arrested in Iran in February 2016. Siamak Namazi, Baquer's 46-year-old son and a former Iranian-American director of strategic planning at Crescent Petroleum, was arrested four months earlier during a trip to Iran. The Iranian Revolutionary Court sentenced each to ten years in prison, claiming they committed espionage and had contact with the U.S. government. The White House stated that if Iran does not release all American citizens unjustly imprisoned in the country, President Trump is prepared to impose serious and new consequences against Iran. Earlier this year, in May, several members of the U.S. House of Representatives urged the Trump administration to take specific actions for the 'unconditional release' of Iranian-American prisoners in Iran. House members stated that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has 'taken American citizens hostage.' Iran has yet to respond to the White House statement.