Iran should consider sending three Americans home. It has nothing to do with a framework for Iran's nuclear program.

Naghmeh Abedini, Saeed Abedini (click here) and the children.

January 21, 2015

Update (Mar. 20): Despite asking the President of the United States in person (click here) to "please bring daddy home for my birthday," Jacob Abedini turned seven years old on Tuesday (Mar. 17) without his father, Saeed Abedini. But President Obama marked the Iranian New Year today by demanding that Iran's government "immediately release" the imprisoned pastor and two other Americans.

"Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho has spent two and a half years detained in Iran on charges related to his religious beliefs," said Obama. "He must be returned to his wife and two young children, who needlessly continue to grow up without their father."...

...More than 100,000 people had signed a petition, sponsored by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), asking the President to let Naghmeh make a “personal appeal for her husband” during his visit today to Boise, Idaho. Obama met privately with her and her two children for about 10 minutes.

“I am extremely thankful the President took the time to meet with our family and told us that securing the release of my husband is a top priority,” said Naghmeh Abedini, according to an ACLJ statement. “The President was focused and gracious—showing concern to me and my children. I know that this meeting could not have occurred without prayer, and I am grateful to the many people around the country and world who continue to pray for Saeed’s release....

Two months later another asking for the return of Americans.

March 20, 2015

 

The spirit of family (click here) is deeply woven into all of the rich cultural traditions of the Nowruz holiday.  It is a time for reuniting and rejoicing with loved ones and sharing hopes for the new year.  Today, as families across the world gather to mark this holiday, we remember those American families who are enduring painful separations from their loved ones who are imprisoned or went missing in Iran.

Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho has spent two and a half years detained in Iran on charges related to his religious beliefs.  He must be returned to his wife and two young children, who needlessly continue to grow up without their father.

Amir Hekmati (click here) is a different class of prisoner. He actually was a USA military soldier. After leaving the military he went to work as a consult for private contractors regarding cultural standards in other countries. The program he was working for was Human Terrain System (HTS). It was simply an independent system for awhile, but, as of 2011 it has been considered part of USA intelligence. It puts Amir Hekmati in more peril than an ordinary visitor to Iran. I am sure he wasn't acting for the USA government in intelligence gathering, but, to another government he appears to be a threat by credentials only.

Amir Hekmati of Flint, Michigan has been imprisoned in Iran on false espionage charges for over three and a half years.  His family, including his father who is gravely ill, has borne the pain of Amir's absence for far too long.

Jason Rezaian of Marin County, California, an Iranian government credentialed reporter for the Washington Post, has been unjustly held in Iran for nearly eight months on vague charges.  It is especially painful that on a holiday centered on ridding one’s self of the difficulties of the past year, Jason’s mother and family will continue to carry the heavy burden of concern regarding Jason’s health and well-being into the new year....

Journalists are frequently considered an enemy of the state because they collect information for publication. The government in many instances likes to control the information available to their citizens. Unfortunately, when a Western journalist practices his craft it appears as though it is an anti-government activity. What makes Jason's disappearance worrisome is that he is a credentialed Washington Post journalist. Major media organizations don't put their journalists in a country for the sake of espionage.

FOR Jason Rezaian, the Iran correspondent of the Washington Post and his wife Yeganeh Salehi, herself a journalist, the knock on the door came on July 22nd. Security men took them away and, almost two weeks later, they and a photographer for the American newspaper are still in custody. Nobody knows what they are accused of and family members have received no information about their whereabouts. On August 4th the case became murkier when it was reported that the caretaker of Mr Rezaian's building died after being tasered by Revolutionary Guards when he asked to see an arrest warrant....