The US state division claimed on Sunday that an Iranian-American journalist, who as soon as labored for a US authorities funded broadcaster, has been held by Iran for a number of months, reported information company Associated Press.
The information of the alleged imprisonment of Reza Valizadeh comes on the heels of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatening each Israel and the US with “a crushing response” to an Israeli assault on the nation.
Valizadeh had labored for Radio Farda, an outlet below Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty which is overseen by the US Agency for Global Media.
In February, he posted on X that his members of the family had been detained in an effort to see him return to Iran. In a message in August he acknowledged that he had returned to Iran regardless of Radio Farda being considered as a hostile outlet by the Iranian authorities.
An excerpt from his message learn, “I arrived in Tehran on March 6, 2024. Before that, I had unfinished negotiations with the (Revolutionary Guard’s) intelligence division…finally I got here again to my nation after 13 years with none safety assure, even a verbal one.”
There have been rumours for weeks that Valizadeh had been detained by the Iranian authorities. The Human Rights Activists News Agency, which screens instances in Iran, acknowledged that the journalist had been held as soon as he arrived within the nation however was launched later.
The information company additionally mentioned that he was re-arrested and despatched to Evin jail and would now endure trial in Iran’s Revolutionary Court.
Valizadeh had beforehand confronted arrest in Iran in 2007, the information company reported. Iran has not but confirmed detaining Valizadeh.
The US state division instructed AP that they had been working with Swiss companions’ to assemble extra data on the case. They added,“Iran routinely imprisons US residents and different nations’ residents unjustly for political functions. This observe is merciless and opposite to worldwide regulation.”
Iran additionally marked the forty fifth anniversary of the American Embassy takeover and hostage disaster within the nation on Sunday.
Since the 1979 US Embassy disaster, Iran has used prisoners as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the US, notably liberating 5 Americans in September, 2023 in change for 5 Iranians in US custody in addition to $6 billion in frozen Iranian belongings to be launched by South Korea, reported AP
If Valizadeh is being held by Iran, he can be the primary American recognized to be detained by the nation since 2023.