JUST IN: Six People Held By Iran As Peace Talks Proceed
President Donald Trump’s ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran are facing pressure as at least six Americans remain imprisoned by the Islamic regime despite recent progress toward a broader peace agreement.
While the administration has touted the latest round of negotiations as a step toward reducing tensions in the Middle East, advocates for the detainees are urging officials not to leave American citizens behind as talks continue.
Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst reported this week that one of the key unresolved issues in negotiations with Tehran is whether the White House will successfully secure the release of the Americans still being held by the Iranian government. According to the report, at least two of those Americans remain incarcerated in the notorious Evin Prison, a facility that has long been criticized by human rights organizations for its treatment of political prisoners and foreign detainees.
Among those being held is Kamran Hekmaty, a 61-year-old Jewish Iranian-American grandfather from Long Island. Hekmaty traveled to Iran last spring to visit family members but was arrested by authorities shortly after arriving in the country.
According to Fox News, Iranian officials cited a trip Hekmaty took to Israel 13 years ago for his son’s bar mitzvah as the basis for his arrest. His family and supporters have argued that the detention is unjust and have called on U.S. officials to make his release a top priority in ongoing negotiations.
WATCH:
Another American still being held is journalist Reza Valizadeh, who spent a decade working for Radio Free Europe. Valizadeh returned to Iran in 2024 to care for his aging parents but was subsequently arrested and imprisoned by the regime.
Fox News obtained audio from Valizadeh while he remains inside Evin Prison, drawing renewed attention to his case and the plight of other Americans detained by Tehran. His supporters contend that he is being punished for his journalism and past association with Western media outlets.
Ryan Fayhee, Valizadeh’s attorney, is now publicly urging the Trump administration to make the release of all detained Americans a central component of any future agreement with Iran.
“The release of these Americans must remain a priority,” Fayhee said, according to Fox News.
Iran has a long history of detaining dual nationals and foreign citizens on charges that Western governments often characterize as politically motivated. American officials from multiple administrations have repeatedly accused Tehran of using detainees as bargaining chips during periods of diplomatic negotiation.
The current U.S.-Iran peace deal is an interim 14-point Memorandum of Understanding signed this week by President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The agreement aims to halt regional hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and create a 60-day window for negotiating a broader accord.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to allow commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and cooperate with international oversight of its enriched uranium stockpile. In return, the United States agreed to begin lifting some sanctions and refrain from imposing new ones during negotiations.
Vice President JD Vance said Iran appears to be complying so far, though sanctions relief will not take effect until Tehran fulfills key obligations. The administration has stressed that the agreement is a framework for a permanent deal rather than a final settlement.
Talks hit a setback Friday after renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah delayed planned negotiations in Switzerland.