U.S. State Department: Five Citizens Must Be Allowed to Leave Iran Immediately

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, expressed satisfaction with the Iranian authorities' decision to "release five American citizens... from Evin prison to house arrest." He mentioned the names Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, and Emad Sharqi, noting that two other American citizens prefer to remain anonymous for now. The U.S. diplomat emphasized that the Biden administration is in contact with the families of these citizens and that "we are closely monitoring their health and well-being." Miller added, "While we welcome the news regarding the release of these individuals from prison to house arrest, they should never have been imprisoned in the first place." He pointed out the continued "diligent efforts" of the Biden administration to return these individuals to their families, stating, "They must be allowed to leave Iran immediately and reunite with their loved ones as soon as possible." The office of the U.S. Special Envoy for Iran also welcomed the "release of five American citizens from prison to house arrest," stating, "We will not rest until they leave Iran and reunite with their loved ones." White House Reaction Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House, described the transfer of "five American prisoners" from Evin prison to house arrest as "a hopeful step." She mentioned the names Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, and Emad Sharqi, adding that two other Americans who should not have been detained prefer to remain anonymous for now. Watson stressed that the Biden administration continues to closely monitor their conditions and "of course, we will not rest until all of them return to the United States." The National Security Council spokesperson refrained from providing details about their conditions in house arrest or the Biden administration's efforts to ensure their freedom, while also noting the ongoing "delicate and sensitive" negotiations for the final release of these American citizens. Jared Genser, lawyer for Siamak Namazi, reported on Thursday that four imprisoned American citizens were transferred to a hotel in Tehran. According to Genser, these individuals will be held in the hotel for several weeks until permission is granted for their exit from Iran. Genser expressed hope that the transfer of these American citizens would pave the way for their final release and return to the U.S., while emphasizing that there are no guarantees regarding what will happen next. He also mentioned that the transferred prisoners indicated that the hotel would be under the supervision of Iranian authorities, although he did not disclose the name of the hotel. Meanwhile, The New York Times reported on the transfer of five American citizens to a hotel, citing informed sources that the Biden administration agreed to the release of several prisoners convicted of circumventing U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic. These sources told The New York Times that the Biden administration also agreed to transfer nearly six billion dollars of Iran's frozen assets in South Korea to an account at the Central Bank of Qatar, which will be controlled by the Qatari government, allowing Iran to use it for humanitarian purposes such as medicine and food. The Namazi family confirmed the transfer of three prisoners to the hotel. The family of Siamak Namazi recently managed to confirm via a direct video call that Iranian-American prisoners Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharqi, and Morad Tahbaz were released from Evin prison and were on their way to house arrest. They were informed early Thursday that the three, along with a fourth unidentified American hostage, were taken to the prison office, where they were officially notified of their transfer from prison to house arrest and subsequently agreed to this transfer in writing. The families of the four American hostages had previously been informed by the Biden administration on Wednesday afternoon that these four were expected to be transferred to house arrest. Although the fourth American prisoner was not directly seen exiting Evin prison, their joint presence at the prison office suggests that they were likely transferred together, although this has not been confirmed. Meanwhile, the fifth American, an unidentified woman whose detention was recently made public, is currently believed to be under house arrest. In response to these developments, Babak Namazi, brother of Siamak Namazi, stated, "We are grateful that Siamak and the other Americans in Iran have been released from Evin prison and are under house arrest." He added, "While this is a positive development, we will not stop our efforts until Siamak and the others return home. We continue to count the days until this happens." Mr. Namazi noted, "We have endured horrific and indescribable suffering for eight years, and we hope to be together as a family again." The Islamic Republic confirmed the transfer of American prisoners from Evin. The Iranian representation at the United Nations confirmed on Thursday what it called "the news of the exit of dual-national American prisoners from Evin prison." According to the state news agency IRNA, this representation stated, "This exit took place within the framework of an agreement mediated by a third country to mutually release and pardon the five targeted prisoners." The report did not mention the names of the dual-national prisoners or the third country involved. An overview of the status of some Iranian-American dual nationals: Emad Sharqi: He was imprisoned in Evin prison on May 3, 2018, on charges of "espionage and undermining national security." This Iranian-American businessman and investor was acquitted and released from all charges after eight months, only to be arrested again and sentenced to ten years in prison. In May of this year, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of Emad Sharqi's imprisonment, senior American officials, including Robert Malley, former special envoy for Iran; Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Senator Jim Risch, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; and Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, called for the immediate release of this Iranian-American dual national. Emad Sharqi's wife and two daughters have repeatedly requested to meet with Joe Biden in recent months. The family of Emad Sharqi, along with the families of other Iranian-American citizens imprisoned by the Islamic Republic, gathered in front of the White House on May 2 this year, urging President Biden to prioritize the release of their loved ones from captivity in the Islamic Republic. Neda Sharqi, Emad Sharqi's sister, who was present at this gathering, announced in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America the launch of a campaign called "Bring Our Family Home." She stated, "With the help of several freed American hostages, we plan to introduce Iranian-American hostages imprisoned in the Islamic Republic to the American people and media and strive to meet with President Biden." Siamak Namazi: This Iranian-American businessman was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic on October 13, 2015. Baqer Namazi, Siamak Namazi's father, was also arrested on March 3 of the same year upon entering Iran to visit his son. Siamak and Baqer were sentenced to ten years in prison on October 19, 2016, on charges such as collaborating with a foreign government. Baqer Namazi, who was 79 years old at the time of his arrest, was allowed to leave Iran last October at the age of 85 after six and a half years in captivity. Siamak, who is currently 52 years old and has spent more time in prison than any other Iranian-American citizen, went on a hunger strike for a week last winter to mark the seventh anniversary of his imprisonment in Iran. After breaking his hunger strike, he urged President Biden in an interview with CNN to hear the voices of himself and other Iranian-American prisoners. Morad Tahbaz: This 67-year-old Iranian-American businessman and environmental activist, who also holds British citizenship, was arrested in February 2018. Mr. Tahbaz was sentenced to ten years in prison in February 2020 on charges such as collaborating with the U.S. During the temporary release of Nazanin Zaghari and Anousheh Ashouri in March 2022, Morad Tahbaz was also released for 48 hours and then returned to prison. Tara Tahbaz, Morad Tahbaz's daughter, told Reuters earlier this month that her father has prostate cancer and has contracted COVID-19 three times in prison. Roxana Tahbaz, another daughter of Morad Tahbaz, also stated in an interview with The Guardian last year that the British Foreign Office has forgotten her father and family. Shahab Dalili: This Iranian citizen with permanent residency in the U.S. has been imprisoned in Iran since 2016 when he returned to Iran for his father's funeral. Mr. Dalili's wife stated in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America last year that Shahab was sentenced to ten years in prison on charges such as collaborating with foreign governments. In this interview, she explained her prolonged silence regarding Mr. Dalili's imprisonment, stating that she hoped her silence would help change his sentence or reduce his punishment. Observers of Iranian affairs say that the Islamic Republic aims to use the detention of citizens of other countries, especially dual nationals, as leverage in negotiations with other countries, effectively taking them hostage with false charges. Many Western countries, including U.S. officials, have repeatedly warned dual nationals that traveling to Iran is risky due to the actions of the Islamic Republic and have urged them not to endanger themselves by traveling to Iran, even for family visits. Claims by the newspaper Khorasan: The fourth American prisoner in Iran is a woman. The U.S.: Efforts to free American citizens wrongfully detained in Iran continue. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democratic representative: All American hostages must be freed from Iran. A Democratic congressman: Joe Biden should appoint a special envoy regarding hostages in Iran. Baqer Namazi on Father's Day: Bring dual nationals imprisoned in Iran home. Kanani: A prisoner exchange with the U.S. could happen "in the near future."