Hard-liners in Iran posted a video online Monday showing a detained Iranian-American businessman for the first time since his arrest in the country a year ago, a taunting challenge to the United States in the wake of the nuclear deal with Tehran.
The minute-long video featuring Siamak Namazi, dubbed over with what sounded like a dramatic film score, highlighted recent tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S.
It also comes as hard-liners in Iran’s security forces continue to target dual nationals and anyone with Western ties after the nuclear deal negotiated by the moderate administration of President Hassan Rouhani.
The montage of clips includes an Iranian drone flying over a U.S. aircraft carrier and American sailors on their knees after being briefly detained by Iran in January. It shows Namazi’s U.S. passport, his United Arab Emirates ID card and a clip of him in a conference room, his arms raised at his sides.
At the end of the video, it shows a still image of U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, a California Republican who chairs the House’s Foreign Affairs Committee. It quotes a statement by Royce from last year describing Namazi’s arrest as “latest show of contempt for America.”
A request for comment to Royce was not immediately answered early Monday.
It wasn’t clear why hard-liners chose to release the video, which was posted online Monday by Iran’s state-run Mizan judicial news agency. However, it comes as Namazi, who earlier advocated for closer ties between Iran and the U.S., faces his one-year anniversary of being detained in Iran.
Namazi is a son of Baquer Namazi, a former UNICEF representative who once served as governor of Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan province under the U.S.-backed shah. His father was arrested after apparently being lured to Iran over his son’s detention.
The two were not released as part of a January deal that freed detained Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian and three other Iranian-Americans in exchange for pardons or charges being dropped against seven Iranians.
That deal also saw the U.S. make a $400 million cash delivery to Iran.
Analysts and family members of those detained in Iran have suggested Iran wants to negotiate another deal with the West to free those held. In September, Iran freed a retired Canadian-Iranian university professoramid negotiations to reopen embassies in the two nations.
Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, meaning those detained cannot receive consular assistance. In most cases, dual nationals have faced secret charges in closed-door hearings in Iran’s Revolutionary Court, which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government.
Others with Western ties recently detained in Iran include:
— Robin Shahini , an Iranian-American detained while visiting family who previously had made online comments criticizing Iran’s human rights record;
— Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe , a British-Iranian woman sentenced to five years in prison on allegations of planning the “soft toppling” of Iran’s government while traveling with her young daughter; and
— Nizar Zakka , a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon recently sentenced to 10 years in prison and a $4.2 million fine.
Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Oh great now ovamit has another reason to give iran more billions! CONGRESS U BETTER JUMP IN ON THIS ONE AND DO UR DAM JOBS! But of course u wont yal will (Paul Ryan) just PRINT THAT CASH UP SO FAST- NO BIG DEAL – JUST RUN UP THE DEBT- NO BIGGY- PATHETIC!!!!!
Payback is a wonderful thing. Doesn’t matter who the next president is Iran will have problems, big problems. Assistance from US will stop and a very aggressive mood will bring action.Look for email and voice to question what Iranian people have gotten from the deal. Standard of living better? More jobs? As in this country they will respond due to freedom using internet and I phones.
richard, exactly where do you get your opinions/facts about how the US will react to Iran in the future? Certainly not from past actions by the US. Hillary allowed and maybe encouraged the Muslim Spring and this is the result. Obama and Hillary made a “deal” with Iran and the ink was not even dry before they threatened us, captured our soldiers, began attacks on US overseas military. Hil has promised to not only be a continuation of O’s 8 yrs but will double down on most policies. O looks the other way when Iran and Russia attack our military. O gives Iran billions of dollars that can and will be used for weapons against us yet suddenly you think Hillary will grow some balls and take action to stop Iran?? You must be delusional. Congress?? the American people?? All have stood by and allowed with their votes to continue the present US policies of “leading” from behind – a made up term to means follow from far behind.
Another stunt no doubt orchestrated by 0bama to filter billions more U.S. tax dollars to his pals. Check out this U.S. military suppliers population forecast for the U.S., in less than 10 years, We lose over 250 million people. If hillary is elected to continue 0bamas destruction, and you can bet he will still be in control, this depopulation will happen. http://www.deagel.com/country/forecast.aspx
I question the intelligence of anyone stupid enough to put themselves into a position where they can be arrested by a crazy Islamic government. They created the opportunity to become victimized.
Yes, Doug, everyone should remove a trip to Iran from their bucket list. Maybe even remove any trip to the Middle East. What do they have that’s interesting-sand?
THE “SUCCESSFUL” IRANIAN DEAL……….HOSTAGES ON SALE! (oh, that’s “sarcasm” for all you idiot Hil-Liar-y supporters who don’t understand “English”.
Once again Iran has made President Obama look like a fool. Our president can’t seem to avoid having his foreign policy initiatives turn into failures. Obama has shown what happens when the world gets to deal with a weak and ineffective president. The best way to change our relations with Iran is to elect a strong leader. Hillary Clinton isn’t a strong leader.
TWO complete morons………….president AND wannabe
Obama is a dam fool to give in for this bs.