Prospects for resolution appear dimmed as two countries edge closer to conflict
Babak Namazi, the son of Baquer Namazi who has been held in Iran, testifies before a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington in March. The killing of a top Iranian general has ratcheted up the anxiety of families of Americans held in Iran, one month after the release of a New Jersey student had given them hope.
The tensions are the worst in 40 years and are in contrast to of the diplomatic breakthrough that resulted in December’s release of Princeton University graduate student Xiyue Wang in exchange for the U.S. freeing a detained Iranian scientist. Crushing U.S. sanctions on Iran remain in place, but the release suggested Tehran could be open to using American captives as bargaining chips for future negotiations.
Babak Namazi said he has tried to stay even-keeled in the four-and-a-half years that his brother, Siamak, has been imprisoned in Iran. His father, Baquer, is in a highly restrictive medical furlough there. Both are being held on what the family says are manufactured charges of collaborating with the United States.
He said he saw a silver lining in President Donald Trump’s statement on Twitter that “Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation!” and is hopeful that means the two sides are open to easing and even humanitarian gestures.
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