U.S. Confirms Reports That Iran Arrested an Iranian-American Citizen
The New York Times
Rights groups said that Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist, was recently arrested in Iran, although the State Department did not confirm that he was the person detained.
The State Department confirmed that it was looking into reports that an Iranian-American citizen had been arrested in Iran. The news comes amid renewed tensions between Iran, which has long used Western detainees for leverage, and the United States, Israel’s biggest ally, following Israeli airstrikes on Iran last month.
“We are aware of reports that this dual U.S.-Iranian citizen has been arrested in Iran,” a State Department spokesperson wrote on Sunday in an email in response to questions from The New York Times about Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist who rights groups said last month had been arrested and was being held in a Tehran prison without access to a lawyer. The State Department did not respond to a follow-up email asking if Mr. Valizadeh was the dual citizen being detained.
The reports come amid increasingly heated rhetoric from Iranian leaders in the past few days, after the country’s leadership initially tried to minimize the effectiveness of the Israeli strikes on Iranian air-defense systems last month. On Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, threatened a “crushing response” to Israel and the United States.
They also coincide with the 45th anniversary of the hostage crisis, when Iranians stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979, in response to perceived U.S. meddling in the country’s politics, and held more than 50 Americans as hostages for 444 days.
Rights groups said last month that Mr. Valizadeh was arrested around September and was being detained in Evin Prison, one of Iran’s most notorious detention centers.
Mr. Valizadeh once worked for Radio Farda, a Persian-language outlet that is part of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which is funded by the U.S. government. He left the organization in November 2022, RFE/RL said in a text message to The Times on Sunday.
Aides to Benjamin Netanyahu are under investigation over accusations of leaks, record-doctoring and intimidation. The Israeli prime minister’s office denies the claims.
Justin Welby, the leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide, announced his resignation days after a report found he had taken insufficient action over claims of abuse.
Israel said its forces had returned to northern Gaza to fight a Hamas resurgence. That has brought a new round of suffering for residents.
The move comes just before a Biden administration deadline for Israel to deliver more aid to the enclave or risk a cutoff of military supplies.
Antisemitic assaults on visiting Israeli soccer fans, and incendiary chants and attacks by some Israelis: Here’s what we know so far about the violence in Amsterdam last week.
The president-elect’s call for Taiwan to spend more on its own defense and his complaints about its semiconductor dominance may herald a tenser relationship.
Foreign leaders have rushed to ingratiate themselves with Donald J. Trump in recent days, nervously recalling the clashes, insults and feuds of his first presidency.
Disillusionment with the world that emerged from the Cold War has fueled a long-gathering revolt against the established order.
Viktor Orban of Hungary and other right-wing European politicians hail the return of a U.S. president who shares their tough views on issues like immigration.
Another Trump term could spur Europe’s efforts to stand on its own, but it is far from clear its leaders will seize the moment this time.
Donald J. Trump has said he would transform America’s relationship with both allies and adversaries. Notably, he has pledged to end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, increase tariffs and deport millions.