Families of Dual-National Prisoners in Iran Announce Formation of New Organization

Families of dual-national prisoners and foreign detainees in Iran announced the formation of a new group on Tuesday.

According to Hana Kaviani, a correspondent for Radio Farda at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, in a meeting held by some of these families in New York at the headquarters of the United Nations, they announced that they want to use this coalition to appeal to governments and the United Nations to make efforts for the release of these prisoners.

This meeting was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese prisoner in Iran who was released in June, told Radio Farda that forming a coalition of families helps create “a single unified voice”: “It is very important that we all speak with one voice, because the other side wants us to be separated from each other.”

Mr. Zakka says “We want governments to also speak with one voice and tell the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and government that their actions are unacceptable. They should not take people hostage. We have human rights. These people should be able to return to their homes.”

Among the participants in Tuesday’s meeting were Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, an Iranian-British prisoner, and the son and brother of Baquer and Siamak Namazi, Iranian-American citizens, who spoke during the press conference.

Richard Ratcliffe, Babak Namazi, and also one of the sons of Robert Levinson, who disappeared after traveling to Iran, announced that in recent days they have been trying to meet with Hassan Rouhani, the President, or one of the officials of the Iranian delegation in New York.

However, according to the families of the dual-national prisoners, their request has not been accepted.

Mr. Rouhani, his Foreign Minister, and their accompanying delegation have gone to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly.

Yesterday, Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of Britain, also met with Hassan Rouhani and asked him to provide the conditions for the release of Nazanin Zaghari and other dual-national citizens imprisoned in Iran.

United States officials have also repeatedly called for the release of its citizens.

Source: Radio Farda