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Washington D.C. – Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in a letter commending the Administration for their work to bring American prisoners unjustly detained in Iran back home, and urging them to continue these efforts. 

The lawmakers wrote: “We appreciate your efforts to free Xiyue Wang and Nizar Zakka from unjust detention in Iran… As you know well, several United States citizens including Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, and Michael White remain in Iran, either imprisoned or otherwise prevented from leaving the country. Additionally, Robert Levinson was kidnapped in Iran in 2007….We urge you to build on these recent successes to bring those Americans who remain imprisoned or unaccounted for in Iran back home.”  

The following Members of Congress signed the letter: House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul and Chairman Eliot Engel, Rep. Joe Wilson, Rep. Ted Deutch, Rep. Chris Smith, Rep. Tom Malinowski, Rep. Michael Waltz, and Rep. Raul Grijalva. 

 

Full text of the letter here or below: 

December 19, 2019

The Honorable Mike Pompeo

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State 

2201 C Street NW 

Washington, DC 20520

 

The Honorable Robert O’Brien

National Security Advisor 

The White House 

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

 

Dear Secretary Pompeo and Ambassador O’Brien, 

We appreciate your efforts to free Xiyue Wang and Nizar Zakka from unjust detention in Iran. We urge the Administration to ensure that the return of Americans detained in Iran continues to remain a very high priority.

As you know well, several United States citizens including Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, and Michael White remain in Iran, either imprisoned or otherwise prevented from leaving the country. Additionally, Robert Levinson was kidnapped in Iran in 2007. This fall, Iran acknowledged it has a Revolutionary court case “open” on Levinson. President Trump said publicly in December that the United States is getting signals Levinson may be alive. It is critical that we work together to bring these Americans home.   

We urge you to build on these recent successes to bring those Americans who remain imprisoned or unaccounted for in Iran back home.  We stand ready to assist you in these efforts. Thank you for working to ensure the safety of American citizens abroad. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Michael T. McCaul 

Eliot L. Engel

Joe Wilson

Ted Deutch

Christopher H. Smith 

Tom Malinowski 

Michael Waltz

Raul M. Grijalva 

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