Washington's Warning: Americans Face Arrest Risks When Traveling to Iran

On Friday, February 9, the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning stating that American citizens, especially Iranian-Americans, face the risk of arrest and imprisonment in the Islamic Republic if they travel to Iran. This security advisory comes 12 days after the release of five Americans, including four dual nationals, as part of a prisoner exchange program between the two countries. The U.S. also released seven Iranian nationals who had been detained on various charges, including violations of U.S. sanctions. According to Reuters, the State Department stated that the purpose of this warning is to 'reiterate and clarify the risk of arrest and imprisonment for American citizens, especially those with dual Iranian-American nationality, in Iran.' The statement adds that 'multiple forces in Iran continue to have a hostile attitude towards the United States' and that Iran has continued to 'harass, detain, and arrest American citizens, especially dual nationals, since the signing of the Vienna nuclear agreement in July of this year.' In recent years, Iran has detained four Iranian-Americans, including Jason Rezaian, Amir Hekmati, Nasratollah Khosravi, and Saeed Abedini, on charges of acting against national security and espionage, sentencing them to long prison terms. Matthew Trewitick, an American student who traveled to Iran to teach Persian, was also detained this fall. Mr. Trewitick stated in a similar warning to the State Department's advisory on CNN that 'I do not recommend anyone travel to Iran. Unfortunately, I believe the conditions are still not suitable for going. I do not encourage anyone to go to Iran.' Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post journalist who returned to the U.S. after being released from Evin Prison, publicly thanked U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for negotiating his and others' release during his first public appearance at a meeting on Thursday. Iran and the U.S. do not have diplomatic relations, which limits the U.S.'s ability to assist Americans in Iran. Switzerland acts as the U.S. interests protector in Iran, but Iranian officials have often denied this country consular access to detained American citizens.