Urges their immediate release

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined his colleagues in sending a message to Tehran — allow the four Americans currently detained or missing in Iran to come home, now.  The House unanimously passed H. Res. 233, a bipartisan measure introduced by Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), which states that Iran should immediately release the United States citizens it holds and provide all known information on any United States citizens that have disappeared within its borders.

Passage of the resolution follows a recent House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing at which family members of Americans detained or missing in Iran testified.

Upon passage of H. Res. 233, Chairman Royce said:  “The cases of these Americans currently detained by the regime underscores the complete lack of justice — really, the brutal treatment — they have faced in Iran.  And as we approach the deadline for negotiations on a nuclear agreement with Iran, we have to ask — if top Iranian officials can’t be counted on to release these wrongfully jailed Americans, how can they be counted on to honor the commitments they make at the negotiating table?

“I have serious reservations about the direction of our negotiations with Iran.  And this is based in no small part on its treatment of the Americans we are speaking about today.

“Let’s not forget: this is a regime that regularly holds ‘Death to America’ rallies.  It kills its own citizens outright, or convicts and imprisons them based on confessions obtained by torture.

“This is a regime that takes U.S. citizens into captivity, tortures them, and then denies them medical treatment.  And denies them basic legal representation and due process.  Nuclear deal or not, these Americans deserve to be back with their families today.”

Note:  Earlier today, Chairman Royce spoke on the House Floor in support of H. Res. 233.  Video is available HERE.

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