UANI Calls Upon Iran to Release Hostages

(New York, N.Y.) – United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) released the following statement in support of Hostage Aid Worldwide, which is working to elevate the importance of prioritizing the release of all remaining hostages held in Iran. The demands of former hostages and family members were issued in an open letter last week ahead of multilateral discussions in Vienna about the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The letter states in part:

With a track record of hostage taking since its inception in 1979, the Iranian regime rather than abandoning this heinous activity after the conclusion of the nuclear deal in 2015, has taken it to a new level. The Obama administration’s January 2016 exchange of prisoners left Nizar Zakka and Siamak Namazi behind. To this day Siamak Namazi still remains in Iran’s Evin Prison. In addition to Siamak Namazi, there are at least three other Americans under Iranian custody or banned from leaving Iran today, including American businessman Emad Sharghi, who was initially cleared of all charges, then re-arrested after Biden was elected president. Under the Iran nuclear deal, the Iranian regime has also taken a number of Western citizens hostage. At least 4 German, 2 French, 3 British, 1 Swedish, 2 Austrian and other citizens remain under Iranian custody today… 

Unfortunately, the administration’s position on the Iran nuclear deal vis-à-vis American hostages in Iran indicates the release of American hostages is anything but a priority and the nuclear deal can be restored without American prisoners released. It is the view of Hostage Aid Worldwide that this approach will be unhelpful and risks ransom creep during and after the negotiations. Hostage Aid Worldwide asks the Biden administration to act on its promise and prioritize the release of all hostages in its dealing with Iran…

“UANI applauds Hostage Aid Worldwide’s efforts to bring this issue to the forefront of America’s diplomatic strategy. The regime’s efforts at extortion must end, and the release of all American hostages, as well as those from our allies, should be a prerequisite to any nuclear negotiations with Iran.”

To read Hostage Aid Worldwide’s letter, please click here.

To read UANI’s resource American and Western Hostages, please click here.

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