Valizadeh, who was associated with Radio Farda, a branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, is believed to be the latest victim of Iran's crackdown on what it perceives as hostile media outlets.
Radio Farda, funded by the U.S., broadcasts in Farsi from the Czech Republic, providing its audience with "factual, objective and professional journalism."
According to Fox News, Valizadeh's detention coincides with Iran's celebration of the 45th anniversary of the American Embassy takeover and hostage crisis. The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been issuing threats of a "crushing response" to both the U.S. and Israel, following U.S Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's decision to deploy additional B-52 bombers and Navy warships to the Middle East amidst escalating tensions.
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Earlier this year, Valizadeh had shared on social media that his family members had been detained in Iran and were being coerced to persuade him to return to the country. In August, he posted two messages indicating that he had indeed returned to Iran, despite the absence of any security assurances.
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"I arrived in Tehran on March 6, 2024. Before that, I had unfinished negotiations with the (Revolutionary Guard's) intelligence department," Valizadeh wrote, as reported by the Associated Press. "Eventually, I came back to my country after 13 years without any security guarantee, even a verbal one."
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In his posts, Valizadeh also mentioned a man he claimed was affiliated with Iran's Intelligence Ministry. However, the AP was unable to confirm the individual's association with the ministry.
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The Human Rights Activists News Agency, a watchdog for cases in Iran, reported earlier this month that Valizadeh had been arrested and transferred to Evin prison. The report highlighted that he had been denied legal representation and the charges against him remain undisclosed.
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The State Department confirmed to the AP that they were "aware of reports that this dual U.S.-Iranian citizen has been arrested in Iran." They added, "We are working with our Swiss partners who serve as the protecting power for the United States in Iran to gather more information about this case. Iran routinely imprisons U.S. citizens and other countries’ citizens unjustly for political purposes. This practice is cruel and contrary to international law."
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Iranian officials, however, have yet to acknowledge Valizadeh's detention.
Since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis, Iran has repeatedly used prisoners with Western ties as leverage in negotiations. In September 2023, a prisoner exchange saw five Americans released from Iranian custody in return for five Iranians held in the U.S. and the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets by South Korea.
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Valizadeh's detention marks the first known instance of an American being held captive by Iran since that exchange.
On the anniversary of the embassy takeover, thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the former U.S. Embassy in Iran, chanting "Death to America" and "Death to Israel," while burning U.S. and Israeli flags. The crowd also displayed images of deceased leaders of Iran-backed terrorist groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Palestinian Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, expressing their readiness to defend the Palestinians.
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Gen. Hossein Salami, head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, echoed Khamenei's pledge to confront the U.S. military's presence in the Middle East and the escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"The resistance front and Iran will equip itself with whatever necessary to confront and defeat the enemy," Salami declared, as per the AP.
