One of the five Americans freed from Iranian custody after nearly eight years has urged US President Joe Biden to end the Islamic Republic’s “longstanding” practice of keeping foreign nationals in jail.

In a statement after being released from the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, Siamak Namazi, a dual national and the longest-held of the five detainees for 2,898 days, called for a different approach to deter what he called state-sponsored hostage taking.

“Over the past 44 years, the Iranian regime has mastered the nasty game of caging innocent Americans and other foreign nationals, and commercialising their freedom,” he said after flying from Tehran to Doha, calling Evin prison a “dystopian United Nations of Hostages”, reports Guardian.

“We must urgently channel the grievous pain of the victims of this wickedness into the kind of measures that would upend the cost-benefit calculations of Tehran’s foul business. For if we keep this vile path to profit free of risk and toll, this venal regime will keep treading on it. Again and again.

“It is only if the free world finally agrees to collectively impose draconian consequences on those who use human lives as mere bargaining chips, that the Iranian regime and its ilk will be compelled to make different choices. Sadly, until then, we can anticipate more Americans and others falling victim to state hostage-taking.”

<h2>Prisoners in exchange for access to funds&nbsp;</h2>

Siamak Namazi is one of the five American detainees who was freed on Monday in exchange for a deal to allow Iran to access $6 billion of previously frozen oil revenues.

The US official said that the money involved in the deal would be limited for use on “humanitarian transactions” involving food, medicine and medical supplies, and agricultural products.

“This is not a payment of any kind,” a senior administration official said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-american-detainees-fly-out-of-iran-in-swap-deal-after-6-billion-unfrozen-637211">US and Iran swap prisoners after Qatar-brokered deal unfreezes $6 billion of Iranian oil money</a>

“No funds enter Iran, nor do any funds get paid to Iranian companies or entities. At bottom, these are Iranian funds – payment made by South Korea to Iran for purchases of oil years ago, including during the last administration – moving from one restricted account in Korea to another restricted account in Qatar.”

The funds were frozen in 2019 as a result of ramped-up sanctions imposed by the Trump administration as part of its policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran. They related to oil bought from Iran by South Korea the previous year under a sanctions-waiver scheme.

(With inputs from agencies)

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One of the five Americans freed from Iranian custody after nearly eight years has urged US President Joe Biden to end the Islamic Republic’s “longstanding” practice of keeping foreign nationals in jail.

One of the five Americans freed from Iranian custody after nearly eight years has urged US President Joe Biden to end the Islamic Republic’s “longstanding” practice of keeping foreign nationals in jail. In a statement after being released from the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, Siamak Namazi, a dual national and the longest-held of the five detainees for 2,898 days, called for a different approach to deter what he called state-sponsored hostage taking. “Over the past 44 years, the Iranian regime has mastered the nasty game of caging innocent Americans and other foreign nationals, and commercialising their freedom,” he said after flying from Tehran to Doha, calling Evin prison a “dystopian United Nations of Hostages”, reports Guardian. “We must urgently channel the grievous pain of the victims of this wickedness into the kind of measures that would upend the cost-benefit calculations of Tehran’s foul business. For if we keep this vile path to profit free of risk and toll, this venal regime will keep treading on it. Again and again. “It is only if the free world finally agrees to collectively impose draconian consequences on those who use human lives as mere bargaining chips, that the Iranian regime and its ilk will be compelled to make different choices. Sadly, until then, we can anticipate more Americans and others falling victim to state hostage-taking.” Prisoners in exchange for access to funds Siamak Namazi is one of the five American detainees who was freed on Monday in exchange for a deal to allow Iran to access $6 billion of previously frozen oil revenues. The US official said that the money involved in the deal would be limited for use on “humanitarian transactions” involving food, medicine and medical supplies, and agricultural products. “This is not a payment of any kind,” a senior administration official said in a statement. Also read | US and Iran swap prisoners after Qatar-brokered deal unfreezes $6 billion of Iranian oil money “No funds enter Iran, nor do any funds get paid to Iranian companies or entities. At bottom, these are Iranian funds – payment made by South Korea to Iran for purchases of oil years ago, including during the last administration – moving from one restricted account in Korea to another restricted account in Qatar.” The funds were frozen in 2019 as a result of ramped-up sanctions imposed by the Trump administration as part of its policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran. They related to oil bought from Iran by South Korea the previous year under a sanctions-waiver scheme. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Freed American calls on Biden to end Iran’s ‘vile path’ of keeping foreigners imprisoned

The United Nations on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the worsening situation of right activists, lawyers and people from the political sphere who have been detained in Iran and asked the country to release them in view of the pandemic.&nbsp;

The office of UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said Iran has released some 120,000 people from February, but prisoners sentenced for more than five years for "national security" offences were kept out of the provision.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/terrorist-cell-trained-by-irans-revolutionary-guards-busted-by-saudi-arabia-331051">Terrorist cell trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards busted by Saudi Arabia</a>

It added that such sentences were given to individuals who are &nbsp;"arbitrarily detained, including human rights defenders, lawyers, dual and foreign nationals, conservationists, and others deprived of their liberty for expressing their views or exercising other rights," as quoted by news agency AFP. &nbsp;

Bachelet in a statement lashed out at these detentions saying the prisoners face more risk of contracting coronavirus in Iran, the country worst affected by the virus in the region.&nbsp;

"People detained solely for their political views or other forms of activism in support of human rights should not be imprisoned at all, and such prisoners, should certainly not be treated more harshly or placed at greater risk," Bachelet said.

Meanwhile, Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer's condition worsened by the hunger strike she launched over the poor condition of prisons in Iran.&nbsp;

Nasrin is under a sentence of more than 30 years on charges linked to her human rights work.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The United Nations on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the worsening situation of right activists, lawyers and people from the political sphere who have been detained in Iran and asked the country to release them in view of the pandemic.

The United Nations on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the worsening situation of right activists, lawyers and people from the political sphere who have been detained in Iran and asked the country to release them in view of the pandemic. The office of UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said Iran has released some 120,000 people from February, but prisoners sentenced for more than five years for "national security" offences were kept out of the provision. Also read | Terrorist cell trained by Iran's Revolutionary Guards busted by Saudi Arabia It added that such sentences were given to individuals who are "arbitrarily detained, including human rights defenders, lawyers, dual and foreign nationals, conservationists, and others deprived of their liberty for expressing their views or exercising other rights," as quoted by news agency AFP. Bachelet in a statement lashed out at these detentions saying the prisoners face more risk of contracting coronavirus in Iran, the country worst affected by the virus in the region. "People detained solely for their political views or other forms of activism in support of human rights should not be imprisoned at all, and such prisoners, should certainly not be treated more harshly or placed at greater risk," Bachelet said. Meanwhile, Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer's condition worsened by the hunger strike she launched over the poor condition of prisons in Iran. Nasrin is under a sentence of more than 30 years on charges linked to her human rights work.

UN asks Iran to release political prisoners, human rights activists

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Freed American calls on Biden to end Iran’s ‘vile path’ of keeping foreigners imprisoned

UN asks Iran to release political prisoners, human rights activists