US Urges Iran to Release Wrongfully Detained Americans Amid Diplomatic Talks
Diplomatic Efforts to Secure Release of Americans
A delegation from the United States, led by Vice President JD Vance, is en route to Pakistan for discussions, while Washington is simultaneously advocating for the release of at least six Americans believed to be unjustly imprisoned in Iran. Among those detained are jeweler Kamran Hekmati and journalist Reza Valizadeh. Although the White House has not publicly confirmed specifics, the State Department has called on Iran to free all American detainees. Advocates are hopeful that Iran may consider releasing foreign prisoners as a sign of goodwill, as reported by a major news outlet. Sources familiar with the situation indicated that this demand might be deprioritized if initial negotiations regarding Iran's activities in the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear program encounter challenges. A spokesperson for the White House refrained from commenting on the status of US citizens, stating, “These are ongoing discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the press.”
Identities of Detained Americans
Who are the Americans detained in Iran?
Currently, at least six Americans are thought to be held in Iran, although their identities have not all been disclosed. Two notable detainees include Kamran Hekmati, aged 61, and Reza Valizadeh, aged 49, both of whom are incarcerated in Evin Prison, a notorious facility in Tehran known for housing many political prisoners. Valizadeh is serving a decade-long sentence after being arrested by the IRGC in December 2024 on charges of “collaborating with a hostile government.” He had returned to Tehran in September 2024 to visit his elderly parents, believing it was safe to do so based on assurances from Iranian authorities. His appeal against the sentence was denied in January 2025.
Kamran Hekmati, a Jewish Iranian-American, emigrated to the US following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and established a life in Great Neck, New York, where he operated a jewelry business. In July 2025, he traveled to Iran to see family, but upon attempting to leave through Tehran's airport, his passport was seized, leading to his arrest two months later. His detention is linked to an Iranian law that forbids its citizens from visiting Israel.