American held in Iran launches hunger strike and writes to Biden asking him to do more for detainees - CNN

Washington CNN  — 

An American wrongfully detained successful Iran is calling connected President Joe Biden to instrumentality announcement of US detainees there, launching a hunger onslaught Monday to people 7 years since helium was near down successful a captive swap that brought different Americans home.

In a missive to Biden, Siamak Namazi called connected the US president to deliberation of him each time for the 7 days helium intends to transportation retired the hunger onslaught commemorating the grim milestone.

“In the past I implored you to scope for your motivation compass and find the resoluteness to bring the US hostages successful Iran home. To nary avail. Not lone bash we stay Iran’s prisoners, but you person not truthful overmuch arsenic granted our families a meeting,” wrote Namazi, who is 1 of 3 Americans who stay wrongfully detained successful Iran. Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz person besides been imprisoned determination for years.

“All I privation sir, is 1 infinitesimal of your days’ clip for the adjacent 7 days devoted to reasoning astir the tribulations of the U.S. hostages successful Iran,” Namazi wrote to Biden. “Just a azygous infinitesimal of your clip for each twelvemonth of my beingness that I mislaid successful Evin situation aft the U.S. Government could person saved maine but didn’t. That is all.”

“Alas, fixed I americium successful this cage each I person to connection you successful instrumentality is my further suffering. Therefore, I volition contradict myself nutrient for the aforesaid 7 days, successful the anticipation that by doing truthful you won’t contradict maine this tiny request,” helium said.

Namazi was blocked from leaving Iran aft visiting successful July 2015 and underwent months of interrogations earlier being arrested successful October 2015. He was not included successful the prisoner swap with Iran successful January 2016 that led to the merchandise of Washington Post writer Jason Rezaian, Marine seasoned Amir Hekmati and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini. A 5th American was besides separately released astatine that time.

“When the Obama Administration unconscionably near maine successful peril and freed the different American citizens Iran held hostage connected January 16, 2016, the U.S. Government promised my household to person maine safely location wrong weeks,” Namazi wrote successful his missive Monday. “Yet 7 years and 2 presidents later, I stay caged successful Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, holding that agelong overdue IOU on with the unenviable rubric of the longest held Iranian-American hostage successful history.”

A National Security Council spokesperson said the Biden medication remains “committed to securing the state of Siamak Namazi and we are moving tirelessly to bring him location on with each US citizens who are wrongfully detained successful Iran, including Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz.”

The spokesperson added that it is “outrageous” for Iran to detain US citizens for governmental leverage.

“Our precedence is bringing each our wrongfully detained citizens location safely and arsenic soon arsenic imaginable and resolving the cases of missing and abducted US citizens,” the spokesperson said.

The US does not person diplomatic relations with the Iranian regime, though it has called connected the authorities determination to merchandise the detained Americans. Tensions betwixt Tehran and the West person further ratcheted successful the aftermath of brutal crackdowns against protests successful Iran and the executions of protesters. Over the weekend, Western governments condemned the execution of Alireza Akbari, a dual British-Iranian national who was hanged aft being accused of espionage and corruption.

Namazi’s brother, Babak Namazi, told CNN that this week is particularly achy for his household each year.

“It’s conscionable a horrific week, arsenic to deliberation that 7 years, 7 full years person gone by, which could person been avoided if astatine that clip Siamak would person been included with the 5 different Americans,” Babak said.

In February 2016, Namazi’s begetter Baquer was lured to Iran nether the mendacious premise that helium would beryllium capable to spot his son. He was alternatively instantly taken into custody astatine that time. Siamak and Baquer Namazi were sentenced to 10 years successful situation successful October 2016. Baquer was released from Iran aft much than six years successful October 2022. That aforesaid month, Siamak was granted furlough from Evin Prison, but was forced to instrumentality a abbreviated clip later.

Babak said his “family is of people gravely acrophobic for Siamak’s wellness and distraught that helium has resorted to specified hopeless measures” arsenic a hunger strike.”

“President Biden, Siamak is begging you, my household is imploring you. Please, please, instrumentality what it takes to marque those courageous decisions that we cognize you are susceptible of,” Babak told CNN.