Namazi's deep concerns are not unfounded: While American prisoners have been released from Iran three times in the last six years, each time his family members remained there. The first instance occurred in 2016, when Americans were freed on the day that the Iran nuclear deal went into effect. Iran accused both men of working with a hostile government -- the US -- which the family denies. Earlier this year, Babak Namazi urged the Biden administration not to reenter the deal without his family members being released. A senior State Department official said earlier this month that the prisoner issue is being addressed separately from the talks over the Iran deal.

Source: CNN May 28, 2021 00:33 UTC