US calls on Iran to release detained Americans

[Eugene]

Source: Agence France-Presse

US calls on Iran to release detained Americans

Thu Jun 7, 11:38 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US State Department on Thursday
called on Iran to release all US citizens it is holding, one day
after two of the detainees, both US-Iranians, were charged
with espionage.

The Islamic republic does not recognize dual nationality, and
Tehran has bluntly told Washington the affair is none of its
business.

A third US-Iranian, who is not jailed but has had her passport
confiscated, has been accused of working for a "counter-
revolutionary" radio station, Iran's ISNA news agency reported
Wednesday.

A fourth US-Iranian is reportedly under arrest, and a US former
FBI agent has gone missing in Iran since early March.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070608/wl_afp/usiranjusticerights_070608033843

---

Wednesday: Iran judge says held U.S.-Iranians admit "activities" - Reuters

[IndianaGreen]

1. They are not being held at some secret prison, being tortured...

The US has no moral authority left to be demanding anything about human rights from someone else.

[leftchick]

2. How many Iranians are the US Holding?

No one ever mentions that. :eyes:

[Eugene]

3. Report: Iran Investigating 4th American

Source: Associated Press

Report: Iran Investigating 4th American

By NASSER KARIMI
The Associated Press
Friday, June 8, 2007; 7:38 AM

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran is investigating a fourth Iranian-American
who has been held in the Islamic Republic, the country's semiofficial
news agency ISNA reported Friday.

ISNA reported that Ali Shakeri was in custody, and his case was being
studied in the security department of Tehran's prosecutor office. The
news agency did not elaborate.

The report was the first Iranian confirmation that Shakeri, who is a
founding board member of the University of California, Irvine, Center
for Citizen Peace building, was being investigated. The U.S. State
Department had said Shakeri, who was supposed to have left Iran for
Europe on May 13 but never arrived at his destination, was being held
at a notorious prison in Tehran.

ISNA was the only Iranian news agency on Friday to report that Shakeri
was being investigated. Calls to Iranian judicial officials were not
immediately returned Friday, which is the weekend in the Islamic
country.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/08/AR2007060800844.html

[Eugene]

7. Iran Says It Is Holding 4th Dual Citizen

Source: Associated Press

Iran Says It Is Holding 4th Dual Citizen

Friday June 8, 2007 8:16 PM

By NASSER KARIMI

Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran confirmed Friday for the first time
that it is holding an Iranian-American peace activist, the
fourth dual citizen it has detained in recent months, according
to a semiofficial news agency.

Ali Shakeri of Lake Forest, Calif., was being held on security-
related charges and investigated by the security department
of the Tehran prosecutor's office, the Iranian Student News
Agency reported. It provided no source for the information
and calls to Iranian judicial officials were not immediately
returned Friday, a weekend day in the Islamic country.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6694949,00.html

[High Plains]

4. The publicly announced "covert operation" to destabilize Iran...

sure makes it easier for that government to snatch up people and accuse them of espionage.

[Massachusetts]

5. This weeks definitions

Hypocrisy = "US calls on Iran to release detained Americans"

[Eugene]

6. Rice interview: No Iran hostage crisis

Source: Associated Press

Rice interview: No Iran hostage crisis

By ANNE GEARAN and MATTHEW LEE, Associated Press Writers
46 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Iran's detention of at least four Americans is not a new
hostage crisis akin to the seizure of U.S. diplomats three decades ago,
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, the top U.S. diplomat said
the detentions are unwarranted but will not stop the United States from
trying to engage Iran on other matters, including its disputed nuclear
program and alleged support of insurgents in Iraq.

"Let's not try to go back to an historical analogy that I think is a very
different set of circumstances," Rice said of comparisons to the 1979
hostage standoff.

"These people are not linked up with what we are doing in other" forums,
she said.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/rice_interview_8