Washington
CNN
—
An American wrongfully detained in Iran is asking on President Joe Biden to take understand of US detainees there, launching a starvation strike Monday to mark seven years since he used to be left at the back of in a prisoner change that introduced different Americans house.
In a letter to Biden, Siamak Namazi known as on the USA president to consider him on a daily basis for the seven days he intends to hold out the starvation strike commemorating the bleak milestone.
“In the past I implored you to reach for your moral compass and find the resolve to bring the US hostages in Iran home. To no avail. Not only do we remain Iran’s prisoners, but you have not so much as granted our families a meeting,” wrote Namazi, who’s one in every of 3 Americans who stay wrongfully detained in Iran. Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz have additionally been imprisoned there for years.
“All I want sir, is one minute of your days’ time for the next seven days devoted to thinking about the tribulations of the U.S. hostages in Iran,” Namazi wrote to Biden. “Just a single minute of your time for each year of my life that I lost in Evin prison after the U.S. Government could have saved me but didn’t. That is all.”
“Alas, given I am in this cage all I have to offer you in return is my additional suffering. Therefore, I will deny myself food for the same seven days, in the hope that by doing so you won’t deny me this small request,” he mentioned.
Namazi used to be blocked from leaving Iran after visiting in July 2015 and underwent months of interrogations ahead of being arrested in October 2015. He used to be now not incorporated within the prisoner change with Iran in January 2016 that ended in the discharge of Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, Marine veteran Amir Hekmati and Christian pastor Saeed Abedini. A 5th American used to be additionally one by one launched at the moment.
“When the Obama Administration unconscionably left me in peril and freed the other American citizens Iran held hostage on January 16, 2016, the U.S. Government promised my family to have me safely home within weeks,” Namazi wrote in his letter Monday. “Yet seven years and two presidents later, I remain caged in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, holding that long overdue IOU along with the unenviable title of the longest held Iranian-American hostage in history.”
A National Security Council spokesperson mentioned the Biden management stays “committed to securing the freedom of Siamak Namazi and we are working tirelessly to bring him home along with all US citizens who are wrongfully detained in Iran, including Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz.”
The spokesperson added that it’s “outrageous” for Iran to detain US voters for political leverage.
“Our priority is bringing all our wrongfully detained citizens home safely and as soon as possible and resolving the cases of missing and abducted US citizens,” the spokesperson mentioned.
The US does now not have diplomatic members of the family with the Iranian regime, even though it has known as at the executive there to unencumber the detained Americans. Tensions between Tehran and the West have additional ratcheted within the wake of brutal crackdowns in opposition to protests in Iran and the executions of protesters. Over the weekend, Western governments condemned the execution of Alireza Akbari, a twin British-Iranian citizen who used to be hanged after being accused of espionage and corruption.
Namazi’s brother, Babak Namazi, informed CNN that this week is particularly painful for his circle of relatives yearly.
“It’s just a horrific week, as to think that seven years, seven whole years have gone by, which could have been avoided if at that time Siamak would have been included with the five other Americans,” Babak mentioned.
In February 2016, Namazi’s father Baquer used to be lured to Iran underneath the false premise that he would have the ability to see his son. He used to be as a substitute instantly taken into custody at the moment. Siamak and Baquer Namazi have been sentenced to ten years in jail in October 2016. Baquer used to be launched from Iran after greater than six years in October 2022. That similar month, Siamak used to be granted furlough from Evin Prison, however used to be compelled to go back a little while later.
Babak mentioned his “family is of course gravely concerned for Siamak’s health and distraught that he has resorted to such desperate measures” as a starvation strike.”
“President Biden, Siamak is begging you, my family is imploring you. Please, please, take what it takes to make those courageous decisions that we know you are capable of,” Babak informed CNN.