American Siamak Namazi Launches Hunger Strike to Call on Biden to Free US Detainees in Iran

American Siamak Namazi, wrongfully detained in Iran for seven years, has launched a hunger strike to call on President Joe Biden to take notice of US detainees in the country. In a letter to Biden, Namazi, 51, noted that he now holds the “unenviable title of the longest held Iranian-American hostage in history.”

Namazi is one of three Americans who remain wrongfully detained in Iran, including Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz. He wrote to Biden imploring him to reach for his moral compass and find the resolve to bring the US hostages in Iran home.

In response to Namazi’s hunger strike, the Biden administration has yet to comment. Namazi is protesting the administration’s failure to free him and other Americans detained in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. He has asked Biden to devote one minute of his day for the next seven days to thinking about the tribulations of the U.S. hostages in Iran.

The Biden administration has yet to comment on Namazi’s hunger strike, but the US State Department has said it is “deeply concerned” about the welfare of all US citizens detained in Iran. The department has also said it is committed to securing the release of all wrongfully detained US citizens.

Namazi’s hunger strike is a stark reminder of the plight of US citizens wrongfully detained in Iran. It remains to be seen whether the Biden administration will take action to free Namazi and other US detainees in the country.