Trump Announces Iran Has Released U.S. Citizen Held Since 2024

A U.S. citizen held in Iran since December 2024 has been released, according to President Donald Trump, who announced the news on Truth Social. The individual, identified as Dena Karari, is a U.S.-Iranian dual national who had been detained under what her legal representative described as “bogus charges of collaboration with a hostile state and espionage.” According to international human rights lawyer Jared Genser, who represents Karari, she was not physically detained in prison but instead remained in Iran under a “coercive exit ban,” preventing her from leaving the country despite having valid travel documents. Trump stated that Karari was “wrongfully detained” and is now “safely outside of Iran, and in good condition.” He praised Iran for its “gesture of goodwill.” However, Iranian state-run media denied the release, stating that no American citizen had been freed from custody. It also criticized Trump for what it called “false news” and accused him of insulting his predecessor while thanking Iran. Karari runs a nonprofit called the Children of Mehr Foundation, which supports impoverished children in Iran and operates under a license from the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Genser described her as a person who had been subjected to numerous interrogations by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security over the course of more than a year and a half. These interrogations, he said, caused her significant physical and psychological distress, though she was never formally charged, tried, or imprisoned. At the time of her detention, Karari was attempting to return to the United States after visiting family in Shiraz, Iran. Her American and Iranian passports were unexpectedly confiscated at the airport, prompting her arrest. Genser believes this was linked to her work with the Children of Mehr Foundation, which Iranian authorities apparently considered a subversive organization. Despite the coercive exit ban expiring in April 2025, Karari was still unable to depart Iran. Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Iran and the United States to suspend hostilities in June 2025, Genser intensified his efforts to secure her release. He noted that the Trump administration was highly responsive to his requests, working actively to facilitate her freedom. Karari reportedly suffered a heart attack on July 8, increasing the urgency of her case. Genser referred to her release as a “minor miracle” given the ongoing tensions between the two nations. Neither Trump nor Genser disclosed whether Iran received any concessions, such as a reciprocal prisoner swap, in exchange for Karari’s release. Genser, however, acknowledged the contributions of several individuals, including Elizabeth Richards, director of hostage advocacy at the James Foley Legacy Foundation, and Diane Foley, the mother of journalist James Foley, who was killed by ISIS in 2014. He emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort, noting that without the support of others, Karari’s release might not have occurred. Currently, there are at least three other American citizens detained in Iran, two men and one woman, according to Hostage Aid Worldwide, a nonprofit organization established by former hostages to assist families of current detainees. While Karari’s release marks a positive development, the situation for the remaining detainees remains unresolved.