During upcoming negotiations with Iran, the administration of US President Donald Trump plans to raise the issue of the release of Americans held in Iran.
This is reported by The Washington Post, citing sources.
According to the publication, the American side intends to demand the release of at least six US citizens. They are currently in custody in Iran, and Washington believes that Tehran can use them as a tool of political pressure.
Among those detained known to WP is Hekmati, an Iranian-American jeweler from New York who was arrested on charges of visiting Israel, although he claims to have been there more than a decade before his arrest.
Also in the case is Valizadeh, a dual citizen who previously worked as a journalist for the US-funded Radio Farda. He was detained after returning to Iran in 2024 while visiting his elderly parents. He was later sentenced to 10 years in prison for “collaborating with a hostile government”.
The Trump administration officially designated both men as illegally detained for political reasons, with Hekmati receiving this status in March.
War in the Middle East and negotiations between Iran and the US
On the morning of February 28, the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran. Iranʼs Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and almost the entire military leadership of the country — about 40 key high-ranking officials — were killed.
Iran, in response to the US and Israeli attacks, began shelling Arab countries and Israel. The war also halted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which almost a fifth of the worldʼs oil exports passed. This led to a sharp increase in oil and gas prices.
On the night of April 8, Trump wrote that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. Later, Iran published a 10-point peace plan: under it, the parties would cease hostilities, the US would withdraw troops from the Middle East and would no longer attack Iranian bases, and ships would have limited access to the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks.
Iran would also be required to lift primary and secondary sanctions and compensate for losses. Iran would commit not to developing nuclear weapons, and the US would recognize Iranʼs right to enrich uranium.
That same day, oil prices began to fall sharply. However, analysts do not expect prices to return to pre-war levels due to significant damage to some of the regionʼs energy infrastructure.
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