(Washington Post) Melissa Etehad and Carol Morello - On July 11, San Diego resident Reza "Robin" Shahini, 46, in Iran to visit his ailing mother, was arrested on suspicion of crimes against the Islamic Republic, becoming the latest Westerner with dual citizenship to be detained. He joined two other U.S. citizens and at least four dual nationals from Britain, Canada and France. In New York for the UN General Assembly last fall, President Hassan Rouhani vowed to make it easier for Iranian American travelers to visit. But Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, and the Revolutionary Guards have arrested dual nationals as if they were Iranian citizens. The release of five Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, when the nuclear deal took effect in January raised hopes that Iranian American businessman Siamak Namazi, arrested in October, would soon be released. But Namazi is still behind bars. So is his father, Baquer Namazi, who was arrested in February when he tried to get his son out. And more arrests have followed.
2016-07-29 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive