A U.S.-Iran dual citizen detained in Iran for nearly a year on espionage allegations has returned to the United States, her lawyer confirmed Sunday. Dena Karari, barred from leaving Iran since December 2024 under what her attorney called "bogus charges," is now safe at home after her exit ban expired in April but was initially ignored by Iranian authorities.
Detention and Health Crisis
Karari was never formally charged but faced an exit ban, preventing her departure despite no imprisonment. She suffered a heart attack on July 8, according to two sources cited by CBS News. Her name appeared on a U.S. State Department list of Americans pressed for release in talks led by special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Official Reactions and Context
Former President Trump acknowledged her release on Truth Social Wednesday, stating she was "safely outside of Iran, and in good condition," calling it a "gesture of goodwill." The State Department declined to comment. Iran currently holds several Americans, including two officially designated as wrongfully detained: Kamran Hekmati and Reza Valizadeh.
Last month, a recording emerged of Valizadeh, an Iranian American journalist, pleading for freedom from Tehran’s Evin Prison. The U.S.-Iran ceasefire extension signed last month did not include provisions for detained Americans, and hostilities between the nations have since resumed.
