Nauert: We Demand Freedom for All Americans Imprisoned in Iran
The U.S. State Department spokesperson welcomed Baquer Namazi’s furlough while stating that the United States demands the immediate and complete release of all Americans who have been “unjustly” imprisoned by the Iranian government.
Jared Genser, the American lawyer for Baquer and Siamak Namazi, announced on the eighth of Bahman that given concerns about Baquer Namazi’s health condition, a four-day furlough for the 81-year-old father of Siamak Namazi has been approved.
Mr. Namazi, an Iranian-American citizen, traveled to Iran to visit his imprisoned son Siamak Namazi, but ended up imprisoned himself. He was recently transferred to a hospital due to blood pressure and heart rate problems.
Heder Nauert, U.S. State Department spokesperson, responded to Mr. Namazi’s lawyer’s statements on Twitter, writing: We welcome Baquer Namazi’s release given his deteriorating health condition, but it should be noted that this is only a temporary release.
Ms. Nauert added that the United States government “demands the immediate and complete release of the Namazi family, including son Siamak [of Baquer Namazi], as well as other Americans who have been unjustly detained by the Iranian government.”
Baquer Namazi, a former employee of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), traveled to Tehran two years ago after his son’s arrest in Iran, and he too was detained. Iran’s judiciary accused both of them of cooperating with “hostile foreign governments” and sentenced them to 10 years in prison.
Charges that the Namazi family’s lawyer has rejected. Moreover, according to some analysts and observers of Iranian affairs, the Islamic Republic uses the detention of dual nationals as a tool for “leverage” in negotiations with several Western countries. Tehran has denied this, saying its judiciary decides on charges and convictions “independently.”
Nevertheless, similar speculation has continued following the release of several Iranian-American citizens, preceding the commencement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Recently, reports have also emerged about talks between Iranian and British officials regarding Tehran’s repayment of an old debt to London, intensifying speculation about the possibility of Nazanin Zaghari’s release should this repayment be finalized.
Besides the Namazis, several other American citizens are held in Iranian prisons; including Xiao Wang, a doctoral student from Princeton University, who has also been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “cooperating with a foreign government.” Karen Vaffadari and her husband Afarin Niasseri, and Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen who has permanent residency in the United States, are imprisoned in Iran on other charges.
Source: Radio Farda
