US Special Representative Calls for Release of Dual Nationals Imprisoned in Iran
The US Special Representative for Iran called for the immediate release of dual national prisoners in Iran.
On Monday, January 10, Robert Malley tweeted that the Iranian government has imprisoned British-American citizen Morad Tahbaz in Evin for four years.
He wrote: Mr. Tahbaz is a father, environmental activist, and cancer victim: "Iran must immediately release him, the Namazis, Emad Sharqi, and the British citizens."
Over the past years, Iran has arrested some foreign citizens and dual nationals and traded a number of them with prisoners affiliated with the Islamic Republic abroad.
The United States and Britain currently have the largest number of dual-nationality prisoners in Iran. These include Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharghi, Morad Tahbaz, Anousheh Ashouri, Nazanin Zaghari, and Mehran Raouf.
Citizens from Austria, Germany, France, and Sweden are also under arrest and in prison in Iran, including Nahid Taghavi, Jamshid Sharmehed, and Fariba Adelkhah.
Western countries have announced that the Islamic Republic is trying to gain concessions from foreign countries by taking dual-national and foreign citizens hostage.
Meanwhile, Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said on Monday, in response to a question about the American prisoners issue, "On this issue, America knows what it needs to do to implement the agreements in this regard."
He did not provide further details, but Abbas Araghchi, Iran's former representative in talks to revive the nuclear deal with world powers, announced in July that the Islamic Republic was ready to immediately release 10 prisoners, provided that the United States and Britain fulfilled their commitments.
Source: Radio Farda
