WASHINGTON – The household of New Yorker Kamran Hekmati, who has been imprisoned in Iran for greater than a yr, is pleading with President Trump to make his launch a situation of any peace deal.
“Kamran isn’t solely an American citizen; he’s a faithful father, husband, brother, and cousin. Immediately, he’s additionally a most cancers affected person. He’s battling bladder most cancers with out entry to the medical care he urgently wants. Day by day issues,” cousin Shohreh Nowfar, who acts as spokesperson for the Hekmati household, wrote in a letter obtained by The Put up.
“Mr. President, we all know you could have the flexibility to make this occur,” the letter continued. “Thanks to your management and your dedication to bringing Individuals residence.”
The letter was despatched Tuesday night time to President Trump, the State Division, the Nationwide Safety Council and different senior authorities officers.
The Kekmati household’s plea comes after Trump vowed in an interview over the weekend to convey all US hostages residence if he’s in a position.
“We’ll speak about it and we’ll see. Nobody actually has an correct record of who they’re,” Trump mentioned on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” including: “In case you give me their names, I’ll do my finest to get them residence.”
Hekmati, a Jewish Iranian-American, is being held on the infamous Evin Jail in Tehran. The 61-year-old from Nice Neck was visiting household in Could 2025 when Iranian officers prevented him from leaving the nation on the grounds that he had illegally visited Israel for his son’s bar mitzvah 13 years earlier.
Including to the household’s worries is the renewed bombing marketing campaign waged in opposition to the Islamic Republic following the downing of a US Military Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz Monday night by an Iranian drone.
“Sadly, we’re now seeing navy hostilities improve once more, however we need to see the sequencing on this flip. We wish these Individuals residence. These Individuals want to return residence,” mentioned Kieran Ramsey of the World Attain advocacy group, which represents Hekmati’s household.
In March, Hekmati was declared wrongfully detained by the State Division, which means the US authorities considers him a political hostage.
Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist who has been held in Evin since September 2024 in connection along with his work for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Persian-language service, Radio Farda, was additionally designated as wrongfully detained in Could 2025.
A current voice recording made by Valizadeh contained in the jail has raised alarms in regards to the remedy of the hostages.
Within the recording, obtained by CBS Information final week, Valizadeh described “bodily stress and psychological torture” he and several other different detained Individuals are going by way of, and added that they’re “affected by numerous illnesses and are disadvantaged from actual medical providers.”
Valizadeh additionally famous there was an opportunity to safe his launch and that of his fellow captives earlier than 20 Iranian sailors have been launched by the US in Could following the seizure of their industrial vessels.
“The US authorities may have demanded our trade in return. Nevertheless, it didn’t occur,” the journalist mentioned.
“President Trump has made it clear that he desires all Individuals wrongfully and unjustly detained abroad to be introduced residence,” an administration official instructed The Put up Wednesday.
“The administration is carefully monitoring US residents at the moment detained in Iran and dealing diligently to safe their launch.”
The president has repeatedly urged Tehran to make a deal to finish the warfare, insisting particularly that Iran hand over its ambition to acquire a nuclear weapon.
However advocates insist the liberty of detained Individuals have to be a part of the cut price.
“If there’s any deal to be made, it’s received to incorporate the discharge of those Individuals,” Ramsay mentioned, including their standing must be “on the prime of the pile” in any settlement.
“The Iranian regime has an extended and shameful historical past of unjustly detaining US nationals and different overseas residents,” a State Division spokesperson instructed The Put up.
“The Iranian regime ought to instantly launch all Individuals detained in Iran. Out of respect for his or her security and safety, we now have nothing additional to share.”
“You have got already demonstrated sturdy management in bringing greater than 100 Individuals residence since January 2025. Your document exhibits that you simply act the place others did not even attempt,” the Hekmati household letter to Trump concludes.
“We urge you to behave now to safe Kamran’s launch. His household in Nice Neck, New York is ready for him. He deserves the possibility to return residence, obtain remedy, and be reunited with those that love him.”
