NEW YORK — An Iranian American jeweler from New York has been released from prison in Iran, but he is prohibited from leaving the country, according to his family and federal officials.
The family said they are also “desperately afraid for his health and well-being” as he requires regular medical checkups to ensure his bladder cancer doesn’t relapse.
“Mr. Rep. “We cannot rest until he is reunited with his family. The State Department similarly called on Iran to lift its so-called exit ban so Hekmati can return to the U.S.
Representatives for the family and the federal government didn’t say where Hekmati, 62, is currently staying in Iran or how many other Americans are currently believed detained in the country. In an August recording, Valizadeh, who has been imprisoned since 2024, said prison officials have not allowed his family to visit for the past five months. Valizadeh obtained U.S. citizenship in 2022 while working in Washington, D.C., for Radio Farda, the Persian-language arm of Radio Free Europe, which receives U.S. government funding.
Shohreh Nowfar, Hekmati’s cousin in California, said Friday that the family are “excited” and hopeful his passport can be returned soon so he can leave the country, which has been at war with the U.S. and Israel for more than six months now. Hekmati did nothing wrong,” said U.S. It also said the country should “immediately release” Iranian American journalist Reza Valizadeh and other Americans “unjustly detained in Iran. He also said medical care is “almost non-existent” save for the most basic medications. He is among at leas nine reporters currently jailed in Iran, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Thomas Suozzi, a Long Island Democrat who advocated for the State Department to officially designate Hekmati as wrongfully detained earlier this year.
