The Islamic Republic of Iran has, since its early years and the Iran hostage crisis , engaged in repeated dubious detention of foreign or dual nationals.[ 1] This occurred for extended period, with long documented history of using the detained party as a bargaining piece in larger diplomatic negotiations.[ 2] The list below of current and former detainees in Iran excludes people abducted in other countries and brought into the country.[why? ]
Since the Iran hostage crisis , the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in a pattern of detaining foreign nationals for extended periods.[ 1] According to the Center for Human Rights in Iran , the Iranian government has used imprisoned dual and foreign-only nationals "as bargaining chips in its dealings with other nations."[ 3] Iran's repeated dubious detention of dual citizen and thereafter bargaining behavior have lead observers to qualify the practice as a case of hostage diplomacy, with a long documented history.[ 2]
Dual nationals of Iran and another country are particularly vulnerable to arbitrary detention because the international Master Nationality Rule provides that "a State may not afford diplomatic protection to one of its nationals against a state whose nationality such person also possesses".[ 4]
According to Human Rights Watch , "Iranian authorities have violated detainees' due process rights and carried out a pattern of politically motivated arrests."[ 5] In November 2017, Reuters reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had arrested "at least 30 dual nationals during the past two years, mostly on spying charges."[ 6]
In September 2019, on the sidelines of the Seventy-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly , families of dual and foreign nationals imprisoned in Iran as well former dual and foreign nationals imprisoned in Iran launched the "Alliance of Families Against State Hostage Taking."[ 7] [ 8] [ 9]
In January 2023, France called for the release of seven nationals, who were held in Iran . One of the detainees, Fariba Adelkhak was arrested in June 2019, along with her colleague Roland Marchal . While Marchal was released in 2020, but Fraiban Adelkhak remained in prison amid mounting political tensions in Iran.[ 10]
Current foreign nationals imprisoned in Iran
edit
Name
Detained
Citizenship
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Nazak Afshar
12 March 2016
France
3152
[ 11]
Ahmad Reza Jalali
24 April 2016
Sweden
3109
[ 12] [ 13]
Abdolrasoul Dorri-Esfahani
August 2016
Canada
~3010
In May 2017, convicted on espionage charges, including "collaborating with the British secret service," and sentenced to five years in prison.
[ 14]
Nahid Taghavi
16 October 2020
Germany
1473
[ 15]
Mehran Raoof
16 October 2020
UK
1473
[ 16]
U.S. permanent residents
edit
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Afshin Sheikholeslami Vatani
27 June 2020
In detention
1584
Released on bail in February 2019 but reportedly has not been permitted to leave Iran and then arrested again in 2020.
[ 49]
Afarin Neyssari
20 July 2016
21 July 2018
731
Released on bail but reportedly has not been permitted to leave Iran.
[ 24] [ 25]
Shahab Dalili
20 March 2016
In detention
3144
cooperating with a hostile government
U.S. permanent resident
[ 50]
Jamshid Sharmahd
1 August 2020
Executed on 28 October 2024
1549
journalistic activity criticizing the Islamic regime for 16 years
German citizen and U.S. permanent resident. Jimmy was kidnapped on a business trip to India and taken to Iran. He has spent the entire detention at an unknown location, in solitary confinement and after what Amnesty International calls a sham trial condemned to death.
[ 51]
[ 52]
Iran hostage crisis detainees (1979–1981)
edit
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Notes
Cynthia Dwyer
5 May 1980
10 February 1981
281
Civilian. Freelance writer convicted on trumped-up charges of espionage and other crimes[ 53]
Mohi Sobhani
6 September 1980
4 February 1981
151
Civilian[ 54]
Thomas L. Ahern, Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Clair Cortland Barnes
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
William E. Belk
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Robert O. Blucker
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Donald J. Cooke
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
William J. Daugherty
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Robert Englemann
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
William Gallegos
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Bruce W. German
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Duane L. Gillette
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Alan B. Golacinski
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
John E. Graves
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Joseph M. Hall
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Kevin J. Hermening
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Donald R. Hohman
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Leland J. Holland
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Michael Howland
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Charles A. Jones, Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Malcolm K. Kalp
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Moorhead C. Kennedy Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
William F. Keough, Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Steven W. Kirtley
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Kathryn L. Koob
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Frederick Lee Kupke
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Bruce Laingen
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Steven Lauterbach
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Gary E. Lee
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Paul Edward Lewis
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
John Limbert
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
John D. McKeel, Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Michael J. Metrinko
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Jerry J. Miele
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Michael E. Moeller
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Bert C. Moore
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Richard Morefield
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Paul M. Needham, Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Robert C. Ode
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Gregory A. Persinger
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Jerry Plotkin
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Civilian
Regis Ragan
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
David M. Roeder
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Barry M. Rosen
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
William B. Royer, Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Thomas E. Schaefer
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Charles W. Scott
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Donald A. Sharer
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Rodney V. Sickmann
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Joseph Subic, Jr.
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Elizabeth Ann Swift
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Victor L. Tomseth
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Phillip R. Ward
4 November 1979
20 January 1981
444
Richard Queen
4 November 1979
11 July 1980
250
Wesley Williams
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Joan Walsh
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
David Walker
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Joseph Vincent
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Terri Tedford
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Neal Robinson
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Lloyd Rollins
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Elizabeth Montagne
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Lillian Johnson
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
James Hughes
4 November 1979
20 November 1979
16
Kathy Gross
4 November 1979
19 November 1979
15
Ladell Maples
4 November 1979
19 November 1979
15
William Quarles
4 November 1979
19 November 1979
15
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Mehran Raoof
16 October 2020
In detention
1473
[ 16]
Kameel Ahmady
11 August 2019
17 November 2019
98
Released on bail. Fled the Regime[ 55]
[ 11] [ 56]
Abbas Edalat
15 April 2018
December 2018
~230
Morad Tahbaz
January 2018
18 September 2023
~2086
Conspiring with America
Member of group of 5 released in Sept 2023 in exchange for 5 U.S. prisoners and unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian assets. (Iranian national who also holds US and UK citizenship.)
[ 3] [ 17]
Anoush Ashoori
August 2017
16 March 2022
~1688
Convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
[ 11]
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
3 April 2016
17 March 2020 (parole within 300 metres of house)16 March 2022
2173 (part parole)
Sentenced to 5 years for ‘plotting to topple the Iranian government’.
Iran (birth)/UK (2013) dual citizen
[ 57] [ 58] [ 59]
Kamal Foroughi
5 May 2011
1 April 2020
3284
[ 60]
Ghoncheh Ghavami
20 June 2014
23 November 2014
156
[ 61]
Roya Saberi Negad Nobakht
October 2013
25 August 2017
~1424
Subject to travel ban after release. Unclear if she has been permitted to depart Iran.
[ 11] [ 62]
Andrew Barber
21 June 2010
18 August 2010
58
[ 63]
Iason Athanasiadis
17 June 2009
5 July 2009
18
Also holds Greek citizenship.
[ 64] [ 65]
Roger Cooper
7 December 1985
1 April 1991
1941
[ 66]
Frank Skinner
27 April 1981
13 April 1982
351
Flight engineer for Iran Air held without charge.
[ 67] [ 68]
Andrew Pyke
27 August 1980
28 January 1982
519
British businessman who worked for Dutch-Iranian helicopter firm, accused of spying but was never charged.
[ 67]
List of British permanent residents
edit
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Aras Amiri
14 March 2018
16 August 2021
1251
Sentenced to 10 years in prison for spying.
[ 69]
Ana Diamond
10 January 2016
January 2018
722
Arbitrary detention, falsely accused of espionage for "MI6 , CIA , Mossad , and others."
UK Permanent Resident at the time of arrest, as well as British naturalisation application in place.
Subjected to travel ban shortly after her arrival in Iran in August 2014, ~500-days before her arrest in January 2016. Travel ban imposed again following her release from Evin prison on bail in August 2016. Acquitted of all charges and travel ban lifted in 2018.
[ 70] [ 71]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Kavous Seyed-Emami
24 January 2018
8 February 2018
15
Died in custody under suspicious circumstances. Authorities say he committed suicide.
[ 20] [ 72]
Abdolrasoul Dorri-Esfahani
August 2016
In detention
~3010
In May 2017, convicted on espionage charges, including "collaborating with the British secret service," and sentenced to five years in prison.
[ 14]
Homa Hoodfar
6 June 2016
26 September 2016
112
Undisclosed "security" charges
Before arrest, had been prevented from leaving country from March 2016.
[ 73]
Maziar Bahari
21 June 2009
17 October 2009
118
[ 74]
Hossein Derakhshan
1 November 2008
19 November 2014
2209
Sentenced to 19.5 years on "several national security, obscenity and religious insult charges in connection with his online activism."
[ 75]
Hamid Ghassemi-Shall
24 May 2008
23 September 2013
1948
[ 76]
Zahra Kazemi
23 June 2003
10 July 2003
17
Died in custody as a result of torture .
[ 77]
Ramin Jahanbegloo
27 April 2006
30 August 2006
125
Plotting a "velvet revolution "
[ 78]
Philip Engs
3 December 1986
8 February 1987
67
Manager of oil services company, held in solitary confinement and interrogated at Evin Prison on ““Suspicion of espionage”’, never formally charged, and then released unharmed.
Concessions were made by his employer on their contract for services with NIOC while he was detained.
[ 79]
Canadian permanent residents
edit
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Saeed Malekpour
4 October 2008
~August 2019
~3953
Escaped Iran while on furlough from prison.
[ 80] [ 81]
New Zealand citizens
edit
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Nizar Zakka
15 September 2015
11 June 2019
1395
Permanent resident of the U.S. at time of arrest.
[ 11]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Fariba Adelkhah
~5 June 2019
~October 2023
~1579
[ 89] [ 90]
Nazak Afshar
12 March 2016
In detention
3152
[ 11]
Benjamin Brière
26 May 2020
12 May 2023
1081
spying and propaganda, for flying a drone in an unauthorised area and making social media posts concerning Iranian law
[ 91] [ 92]
Nelly Erin-Cambervelle
21 October 2018
~21 February 2019
~123
"signing an illegal mining contract and carrying out an unauthorized trip"
Erin-Cambervelle is a businesswoman from the French Caribbean island of Martinique.
[ 93]
Stéphane Lherbier
29 November 2005
25 February 2007
453
Detained with German Donald Klein.
[ 94]
Roland Marchal
~June 2019
20 March 2020
~293
[ 95]
Bernard Phelan
3 October 2022
12 May 2023
221
Providing information to an enemy country
French-Irish. Sentenced to 6.5 years in February 2023. Had previously been sentenced to 3.5 years, and told he would be pardoned.
[ 96] [ 92]
Clotilde Reiss
1 July 2009
16 May 2010
319
Cécile Kohler
1 May 2022
In detention
~911
"attempting to incite unrest and helping teachers strike in Iran"
[ 97]
French permanent residents
edit
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Helmut Szimkus
January 1989
14 June 1994
~1690
[ 99] [ 100]
Helmut Hofer
September 1997
January 2000
852
Initially sentenced to death for having illicit sexual relations with an Iranian woman.
[ 101] [ 102]
Donald Klein
29 November 2005
12 March 2007
468
[ 94] [ 103]
Marcus Hellwig
10 October 2010
19 February 2011
132
[ 104]
Jens Koch
10 October 2010
19 February 2011
132
[ 104]
Jamshid Sharmahd
July 2020
Executed on 28 October 2024
1549
Journalistic activity criticizing the Islamic regime for 16 years
German citizen and US national. Jimmy was kidnapped on a business trip to India and taken to Iran. He has spent the entire detention at an unknown location, in solitary confinement and after what Amnesty International calls a sham trial condemned to death.
[ 105] [ 106]
Nahid Taghavi
12 October 2020
In detention
1477
on 4 June 2023, Marges Mohammadi (also detained in Iran) wrote on Instagram that Taghavi's state of health is so bad that her life is in danger.[ 107]
[ 108]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Yulia Yuzik
2 October 2019
10 October 2019
8
[ 110]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Sabri Hassanpour
19 April 2016
May 2018
~742
[ 111] [ 112]
Zahra Bahrami
27 December 2009
Executed on 29 January 2011
398
Arrested while participating in the 2009 Ashura protests . Charged with the capital crime of drug trafficking. Executed by hanging on 29 January 2011.
[ 113]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Ahmad Reza Jalali
24 April 2016
In detention
3109
[ 114] [ 115]
Habib Chaab
~October 2020
Executed on 6 May 2023
~947
Death sentence upheld by Iranian supreme court March 2023.
[ 116]
Johan Floderus
17 April 2023
15 June 2024
425
[ 117] [ 118]
Stefan Johansson
26 February 2006
16 April 2007
414
Convicted for espionage and sentenced to 3 years in prison.
[ 119]
Jari Hjortmar
26 February 2006
16 April 2007
414
Convicted for espionage and sentenced to 3 years in prison.
[ 119]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Ana Diamond
10 January 2016
January 2018
~722
Arbitrary detention, later falsely accused of espionage for "MI6 , CIA , Mossad , and others."
UK Permanent Resident at the time of arrest, as well as British naturalisation application in place.
Subjected to travel ban shortly after her arrival in Iran in August 2014, ~500-days before her arrest in January 2016. Travel ban imposed again following her release from Evin prison on bail in August 2016. Acquitted of all charges in 2017 and travel ban lifted in May 2018.
[ 120] [ 121]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Olivier Vandecasteele
February 2022
26 May 2023
~479
[ 122]
Diego Mathieu
16 September 2009
8 December 2009
83
[ 123]
Vincent Boon Falleur
5 September 2009
8 December 2009
94
[ 124]
Idesbald van den Bosch
5 September 2009
8 December 2009
94
[ 124]
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Silva Harotonian
26 June 2008
10 March 2009
257
Convicted of promoting a "soft" revolution in Iran on January 19, 2009, and sentenced to 3 years in prison.
At the time of her arrest, Harotonian was an administrative officer for a maternal and child health project in Tehran for International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), a U.S. government-funded organization.
[ 125]
South African citizens
edit
Name
Detained
Released
Days in detention
Reason for detention
Notes
Ref.
Stuart Timm
10 January 1997
17 February 1997
38
[ 44]
^ a b "America's unending hostage crisis with Iran" . Reuters . 1 August 2018. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018.
^ a b Fassihi, Farnaz (2024-06-16). "A Brief History of Iran's Hostage Swapping" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-06-16 .
^ a b "Who Are the Dual and Foreign Nationals Imprisoned in Iran?" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019. Updated regularly.
^ "Dual Nationality" . UK Home Office. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2010 .
^ "Iran: Targeting of Dual Citizens, Foreigners" . Human Rights Watch. 26 September 2018. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019.
^ "Iran's Revolutionary Guards arrest more dual nationals" . Reuters . 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019.
^ "Relatives of Jailed Dual and Foreign Nationals Launch Alliance Against Iran's 'Hostage-Taking' Amid UNGA" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 24 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019.
^ "Families of prisoners held in Iran accuse Tehran of 'hostage taking,' ask for global action" . NBC News. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
^ "Families of Hostages in Iran Launch Alliance at UN" . IranWire. 25 September 2019. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019.
^ "France demands 'immediate release' of seven French citizens held in Iran" . France 24 . 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k Nadae, Garrett; Cappuccino, Nicholas; Azar-Chehr, Maana; Caves, John (22 February 2022) [Original date 25 July 2016]. "Dual Nationals and Foreigners Held in Iran" . The Iran Primer . U.S. Institute of Peace. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Updated as required.
^ "Iranian-Swedish Disaster Medicine Expert Held in Iran Jail for Nine Months, on Hunger Strike Since Dec. 25" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 12 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019.
^ "Sweden grants citizenship to academic facing Iran death sentence" . The Local SE . 17 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019.
^ a b "Iran's jailed dual nationals and their uncertain fate" . BBC. 1 October 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "German-Iranian women's rights activist detained in Tehran" . Deutsche Welle . Retrieved 8 November 2020 .
^ a b "Iran: British-Iranian labour activist detained: Mehran Raoof" . Amnesty International. 23 February 2021.
^ a b c d e Hafezi, Parisa (18 September 2023). "How Iran and the US reached the prisoner swap deal" . Reuters. Retrieved 19 September 2023 .
^ Luce, Dan De (2021-01-17). "Iran jailed another American, jeopardizing Biden's plans for diplomacy" . NBC News .
^ Coleman, Justine (2021-01-17). "Iran convicts American businessman on spying charge: report" . TheHill . Retrieved 2021-01-20 .
^ a b "Environmentalists Detained in Crackdown Denied Legal Counsel Amid Claims Some Were 'Jewish Spies' " . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 5 March 2018. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ a b c "17 Western passport-holders are now in Iran detention" . Gulf News . 22 February 2023.
^ "Iran sentences Princeton graduate student to 10 years for espionage, report says" . The Washington Post . 16 July 2017. Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019 .
^ "Iranian-American Initially Sentenced to 18 Years Prison Released on Bail During Appeal" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 4 April 2017. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019.
^ a b "Grave and Baseless New Charges Against Imprisoned Iranian-American and Wife" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 10 March 2017. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019.
^ a b "Iranian American and US Permanent Resident Released on Bail From Iran's Evin Prison" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 24 December 2019.
^ "Revolutionary Guards Mark Anniversary of Dual National Siamak Namazi's Arrest With Propaganda Video" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 17 October 2016. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019.
^ "At Least 92 Killed In Iran Crackdown On Anti-Hijab Protesters: NGO" . NDTV.com . Retrieved 2022-10-02 .
^ "UN Urged to Take Immediate Action on Namazis" . IranWire. 25 April 2017. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020.
^ "At Least 92 Killed In Iran Crackdown On Anti-Hijab Protesters: NGO" . NDTV.com . Retrieved 2022-10-02 .
^ "Who is Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari? The Story of the Fourth American Prisoner" . IranWire . 1 February 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "Hingham man recalls 41-day ordeal in Iranian captivity" . Boston Globe . 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "Iran urged to release detained Washington Post journalist" . The Guardian . 30 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019.
^ a b c "5 Americans released by Iran, 4 as part of prisoner swap" . CNN. 16 January 2016. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019.
^ "Iranian prison guards threaten to extend sentence for U.S. pastor, wife claims" . Fox News. 28 April 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019.
^ "The Mysterious Tale of a Powerful American Businessman, Three Sanctioned Iranians and an Imprisonment in Tehran" . Politico . 27 May 2018. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019.
^ "Jailed in Iran: The story of ex-Marine Amir Hekmati" . Al Jazeera. 24 September 2013. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015.
^ "Roxana Saberi: Caught 'Between Two Worlds' " . NPR. 30 March 2010. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019.
^ "CSUN grad student Esha Momeni, formerly imprisoned in Iran, returns to Los Angeles" . The Sundial . Archived from the original on 2019-10-19.
^ "U.S. Businessman Freed From Iran After 29 Months Behind Bars" . ABC News. 17 October 2010. Archived from the original on 25 May 2015.
^ "Iranian Torture Victim Gets $20M in Damages" . Courthouse News Service. 6 January 2015. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019.
^ "Tehran Jails Iranian American Scholar After Long House Arrest" . The Washington Post . 9 May 2007. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2019 .
^ "Iran frees detained US academic" . BBC. 21 August 2007. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019 .
^ "Iran frees Berkeley lecturer / Teacher had been held on spy charges" . San Francisco Chronicle . 10 November 2003. Archived from the original on 21 October 2019.
^ a b "Swiss-American missionary released from Iranian prison" . Religion News Service. 27 March 1997. Archived from the original on 21 October 2019.
^ " 'Gerald Seib Day' Held For Reporter Detained In Iran" . AP News . 14 February 1987. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019 .
^ "South Carolina Woman Reassured About Imprisoned Brother" . AP News . 1 December 1987. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019.
^ "Engineer Freed by Iran Returns to U.S." Los Angeles Times . AP. 8 October 1991. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020.
^ "American Freed from Tehran Prison" . The Washington Post . 14 September 1990. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019.
^ "Iran: Kurdish environmental activist Afshin Sheikholeslami Vatani arrested" . Kurdistan Human Rights Network. 29 June 2020.
^ "My Husband Shahab Dalili is a Hostage Too: Retired Sea Captain and US Resident's Wife Breaks Silence" . IranWire. April 8, 2022.
^ "Iran: Further information: Tortured German-Iranian sentenced to death: Jamshid Sharmahd" . Amnesty International. April 3, 2023.
^ "US envoy meets family of German-Iranian sentenced to death in Iran" . CNN. April 8, 2022.
^ "Cynthia Dwyer, '53rd hostage' of U.S. crisis with Iran, dies at 84" . The Buffalo News . 15 February 2016. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019.
^ "Iran Frees One American and Has Hearing for Another" . The New York Times . 5 February 1981. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019.
^ " "Academic jailed in Iran pulls off daring escape back to Britain" " . The Guardian . 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021 .
^ "Iran releases detained British-Iranian academic on bail" . AFP. 21 November 2019. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019.
^ "Iran: British-Iranian charity worker detained: Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe" . Amnesty International. 20 May 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019.
^ "Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe freed for two weeks by Iran" . The Times . 17 March 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020 .
^ Peltier, Elian (20 May 2020). "Iran Extends Temporary Release of British-Iranian Woman" . New York Times . Retrieved 29 November 2020 .
^ "Health of Elderly Prisoner Remains at Risk" (PDF) . Amnesty International. 29 January 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2019 .
^ "Ghoncheh Ghavami, in prison in Iran for wanting to watch volleyball" . Amnesty International UK. Archived from the original on 2019-10-10. Retrieved 2019-10-10 .
^ "UK-Iranian Roya Nobakht Released After 5 Years in Prison Over Facebook Posts" . Jimmy Wales Foundation. 1 September 2017. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
^ "Tourist jailed for taking sunrise photo" . NewsCore. 25 August 2010.
^ "Iason Athanasiadis is Released in Tehran" . Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard. 5 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020.
^ "Accused of spying: journalist Iason Athanasiadis tells of his time in Iranian jail" . The Daily Telegraph . 12 July 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015.
^ "Iran Frees British Businessman Held Five Years on Spying Charges" . AP News . 2 April 1991. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
^ a b "A British businessman jailed in Iran for 520 days" . AP . 2 April 1991. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019.
^ "Iran Frees Briton" . The Observer . 18 April 1982. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
^ "Jailed Student Appeals to Head of the Judiciary" . IranWire. 15 July 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "Student held in same Iranian prison as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe says she was psychologically tortured" . Channel 4 News. 26 July 2019. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
^ " 'There are countless Nazanins': Student reveals psychological torture in Iran prison on charges of spying for UK" . The Telegraph . 26 July 2019. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
^ "Canadian woman held in Iran after husband died now home safe: Freeland" . The Canadian Press. 11 October 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "Iran Says It Released Homa Hoodfar for 'Humanitarian' Reasons" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 3 October 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ " 'Then They Came For' Journalist Maziar Bahari" . NPR. 3 June 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "Iran: Blogger Hossein Derakhshan released" . PEN International. 26 November 2014. Archived from the original on 24 October 2019.
^ "Hamid Ghassemi-Shall has been released!" . Amnesty International Canada. 24 September 2013. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "Impunity in Iran: The Death of Photojournalist Zahra Kazemi" (PDF) . Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. November 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-10-10.
^ " 'I Am Not a Spy. I Am a Philosopher' " . The Chronicle of Higher Education . 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "Canadian engineer jailed in Iran flies home" . UPI. 11 February 1987. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019.
^ "Maryam Malekpour Speaks at 2018 Geneva Summit" . Geneva Summit. 20 February 2018. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019.
^ "Iranian-born Canadian resident returns after 11 years in notorious prison in Tehran" . The Canadian Press. 3 August 2019. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019.
^ a b "Australian Couple Detained in Iran Are Released, Authorities Say" . The New York Times . 5 October 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019.
^ "Lawyer Says Australian-Based Population Expert Released From Iranian Detention" . RFE/RL. 27 January 2019. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019.
^ "Australian Meimanat Hosseini Chavoshi feared to be among growing number of foreign nationals held in Iran" . ABC News . 8 October 2019. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019.
^ " 'She's not a spy': friends shocked over academic Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert's jailing in Iran" . The Guardian . 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 3 October 2019.
^ "Kylie Moore-Gilbert: Lecturer 'released by Iran' in prisoner swap" . BBC News . 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020 .
^ Richwhite, Topher (26 October 2022). "Iran allows detained New Zealand social media influencers to leave" . CNN .
^ Thackwray, Bridget (27 October 2022). "New Zealand Instagram couple 'relieved' after leaving Iran" . BBC .
^ "Arrest and detention of Dr. Fariba Adelkhah" . Middle East Studies Association of North America. 22 July 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ "De retour à Sciences Po, Fariba Adelkhah appelle à la défense de la liberté académique" . Le Monde.fr (in French). 2023-10-20. Retrieved 2023-10-22 .
^ Somerville, Hannah (30 May 2021). "Family pleads with Macron for help as French tourist Benjamin Briere charged with spying in Iran" . Euronews . AP. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021.
^ a b "Libération de deux Français détenus en Iran : Benjamin Brière est "soulagé" mais "très affaibli", selon sa famille" . Franceinfo (in French). 2023-05-13. Retrieved 2023-12-19 .
^ "Iran Frees French Businesswoman Detained For Four Months" . RFE/RL. 24 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019.
^ a b "Trapped in Iran's dark legal labyrinth" . Los Angeles Times . 17 July 2007. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
^ "France demands Iran release two French nationals held since June" . The Daily Telegraph . 16 October 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019.
^ "Irish man 'held hostage' in Iran sentenced to 6 ½ years, family say" . Irish Times. 8 March 2023.
^ "France tells citizens to leave Iran 'as soon as possible' " . CNN . 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2024-04-27 .
^ "Iran – Situation of Ruhollah Zam – Q&A" . France Diplomatie. 16 October 2019. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019.
^ "Bonn seeks pardon for German sentenced to death by Iran" . UPI. 5 January 1994. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019.
^ Mousavian, Hossein (2008). Iran-Europe Relations: Challenges and Opportunities . Routledge. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-1-134-06220-1 .
^ "18 March 1999" . Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
^ "Hofer arrives home" . BBC News. 19 February 2011. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
^ "German Fisherman Freed From Iranian Jail" . Deutsche Welle. 13 March 2007. Archived from the original on 24 October 2019.
^ a b "Iran frees two German reporters" . The Local DE . 19 February 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019.
^ " 'Death sentence certain' for German-Iranian journalist" . Jerusalem Post . 2022-07-25. Retrieved 2022-07-25 .
^ "Iran: Further information: Tortured German-Iranian sentenced to death: Jamshid Sharmahd" . Amnesty International . 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2022-07-25 .
^ Zustand von inhaftierter Deutsch-Iranerin lebensbedrohlich
^ "German-Iranian women's rights activist detained in Tehran" . Deutsche Welle . Retrieved 8 November 2020 .
^ "Österreicher seit sechs Monaten im Iran in Haft" . Der Standard . 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on 1 August 2019.
^ "Iran frees Russian journalist 'accused of working for Israel' " . Al Jazeera. 10 October 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019.
^ "Iran: Dutch-Iranian prisoner denied heart surgery: Sabri Hassanpour" . Amnesty International. 21 April 2016. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020.
^ "Iraanse Nederlander Sabri Hassanpour vrijgelaten in Iran" [Iranian-Dutch Sabri Hassanpour Released in Iran]. NOS (in Dutch). 2018-05-01. Archived from the original on 2020-03-19. Retrieved 2020-05-01 .
^ "Distraught, Bahrami's Daughter Demands: 'How is it possible that she was executed?!' " . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 30 January 2011. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019.
^ "Iranian-Swedish Disaster Medicine Expert Held in Iran Jail for Nine Months, on Hunger Strike Since Dec. 25" . Center for Human Rights in Iran. 12 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019.
^ "Sweden grants citizenship to academic facing Iran death sentence" . The Local SE . 17 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019.
^ "Iran confirms death sentence for Swedish-Iranian dissident" . France24 Post . 2022-03-12. Retrieved 2023-03-23 .
^ "Johan Floderus, E.U. Official From Sweden, Is Imprisoned in Iran" . The New York Times . 4 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023 .
^ "È stato liberato Johan Floderus, diplomatico dell'Unione Europea che era detenuto in Iran dal 2022" . Il Post (in Italian). 15 June 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024 .
^ a b "Iran frees 2 Swedes held for spying" . AP. 16 April 2007. Archived from the original on 27 November 2019.
^ "Student held in same Iranian prison as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe says she was psychologically tortured" . Channel 4 News. 26 July 2019. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
^ " 'There are countless Nazanins': Student reveals psychological torture in Iran prison on charges of spying for UK" . The Telegraph . 26 July 2019. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
^ "Olivier Vandecasteele: Iran jails Belgian aid worker for 28 years – family" . BBC. 14 December 2022.
^ "Les trois Belges arrêtés en Iran reviennent sur leur mésaventure" (in French). 7sur7. 8 January 2010.
^ a b "Freed Belgians cite fears for U.S. hikers in Iran" . CNN. 26 January 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016.
^ "Silva Harotonian Released from Iranian Prison" . The Armenian Weekly . 29 March 2010. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019.