“Iran routinely imprisons U.S. citizens and other countries’ citizens unjustly for political purposes,” the State Department said. “This practice is cruel and contrary to international law.”

Summary

Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh, who worked for a U.S. government-funded broadcaster, has been detained in Iran for months. The detention comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, with Iran threatening retaliation over an Israeli attack. Valizadeh’s imprisonment is part of Iran’s pattern of using prisoners with Western ties as bargaining chips in negotiations.