Don't forget our 6 hostages: Trump must prioritize their release in Iran talks |
Don’t forget our 6 hostages: Trump must prioritize their release in Iran talks
At least six Americans are detained in Iran. With negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in constant flux, those of us who have had loved ones wrongfully detained in Iran or have dedicated our lives to combatting hostage-taking, find ourselves asking the same question: “What about our hostages?” As the U.S. negotiates with Iran, administration officials must make clear that the release of American hostages and an end to future hostage-taking are an essential part of any deal.
These hostages — and their names — are rarely mentioned in public discussions about Iran and to date, no senior official has made their release a publicly stated condition of the negotiations.
American citizens Reza Valizadeh and Kamran Hekmati were wrongfully detained by the Iranian regime in September 2024 and May 2025, respectively. Like the others unjustly held, they were arrested on fabricated charges. Both men are imprisoned at the notorious Evin Prison. Valizadeh, a widely published journalist, suffers from debilitating asthma and is being denied his medications.
Hekmati is a grandfather, entrepreneur, and man of Jewish faith who recently survived bladder cancer and requires regular........