Advocates for US residents detained in Iran mentioned Friday that they’re hopeful their instances will probably be raised in US-Iran negotiations that start on Saturday.
Kamran (*42*) and Reza Valizedeh have each been detained in Iran for greater than a yr, believed to be held in Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison. There are mounting considerations about their well being and well-being. Both have been designated as wrongfully detained by the US State Department.
Family advocates mentioned they’ve obtained assurances that the negotiating crew, led by Vice President JD Vance, particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, is conscious of the detained Americans and that they are going to increase their standing throughout upcoming negotiations.
Another supply accustomed to the matter mentioned their names have been conveyed in the previous to the negotiating crew, however they might not say whether or not they are going to undoubtedly be raised in the talks on Saturday.
Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist, had labored in exile for Persian language shops, together with the US-funded Radio Farda. He returned to Iran in March 2024 to go to his aged dad and mom and was arrested in September of that yr.
(*42*) was arrested final yr and sentenced to jail time by Iranian authorities for visiting Israel greater than a decade in the past for his son’s bar mitzvah, in line with relations who spoke to NCS.
Before the beginning of the US-Israeli warfare towards Iran, the Trump administration designated Iran as a state sponsor of wrongful detention.
In remarks in early March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Iran as “the worst offenders in the world of hostage-taking.”