Detained Americans in Iran Face Growing Danger Amid Military Strikes

At least six U.S. citizens or permanent residents are currently being held in Iran, with advocates warning they could become bargaining chips as military tensions escalate. Thousands of dual nationals may be trapped in the country despite repeated State Department warnings against travel there.

WASHINGTON – Detainee advocates are sounding the alarm about the safety of Americans currently held or trapped in Iran as military strikes between the U.S., Israel, and Iran continue to intensify.

According to advocacy groups, Iran is currently holding at least six U.S. citizens or permanent residents in custody. These individuals are part of what experts believe could be thousands of dual U.S.-Iranian citizens and green card holders who have remained in the country despite ongoing State Department advisories against traveling there due to arrest risks.

“The regime’s history of seeking to leverage Americans for political aims is long established,” explained Ryan Fayhee, who serves on the board of the Foley Foundation advocacy organization. “I would have to imagine that any American is potentially at risk.”

The concerns have intensified following Saturday’s coordinated U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, which resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials. Iran has responded with retaliatory strikes throughout the region, raising fears that Tehran may seek additional ways to strike back against America.

Kieran Ramsey, formerly an FBI assistant director who once led the U.S. hostage recovery unit and now works with Global Reach advocacy group, highlighted the scope of the problem. “There are hundreds, if not thousands, if not more, of dual nationals that are back there that still have familial ties despite the risks,” Ramsey stated.

The situation is complicated by Iran’s refusal to acknowledge dual citizenship, which prevents other nations from offering diplomatic protection or consular assistance to their citizens who also hold Iranian nationality.

A knowledgeable source revealed that the State Department lacks precise information about how many Americans are currently in Iran. Neither the office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, the White House, the State Department, nor Iran’s U.N. mission provided immediate responses to requests for comment.

President Donald Trump has prioritized the release of Americans who are wrongfully detained or held hostage internationally. According to White House figures, more than 70 Americans have been freed since his second term began in January 2025. However, Trump has not outlined specific protection measures for those detained since Saturday’s military strikes commenced.

Just hours before the U.S.-Israeli attacks began, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a significant announcement on Friday, designating Iran as the first state sponsor of wrongful detention under a Trump executive order from September 5.

Rubio indicated this designation could lead to restrictions on using U.S. passports for travel to and from Iran, along with other unspecified actions, unless Tehran stops taking “hostages” and frees all Americans. He did not specify the total number of detained Americans.

While detainee advocates viewed Rubio’s announcement as a warning to Iran against harming American prisoners or other U.S. citizens, they worry the message might be ignored given the disruption to Iran’s leadership structure from the strikes.

“When you have kinetic action and military strikes like this, it just ups the risk factor for these folks exponentially,” Ramsey warned.

Elizabeth Richards, research director at the Foley Foundation, confirmed that at least six dual U.S.-Iranian citizens or legal permanent residents are known to be detained in Tehran’s Evin Prison – a facility notorious for housing political prisoners and foreign nationals – or are prevented from leaving Iran. Three of these individuals have not been publicly identified.

Israeli forces bombed Evin Prison during a 12-day aerial campaign against Iran last June, resulting in at least 71 deaths according to Iranian officials.

Among those currently held at Evin is Shahab Dalili, a green card holder who was arrested in 2016 while heading to the airport after his father’s funeral. He received a 10-year sentence for allegedly collaborating with a foreign government, the Foley Foundation reports.

Fayhee represents Reza Valizadeh, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen and journalist who was arrested in 2024 after returning to Iran to see his aging parents. He also received 10 years for “collaboration with a hostile government,” according to the Foley Foundation.

Also imprisoned at Evin is Kamran Hekmati, a 70-year-old Jewish Iranian-American who owns a jewelry business and was arrested last year, according to Ramsey, who represents Hekmati’s family.

Hekmati was found guilty of traveling to Israel under a law prohibiting such visits within the past decade, despite providing evidence that his last visit occurred 13 years before his arrest, Ramsey explained.

The elderly man, who is battling bladder cancer, also faces espionage charges for which he has not been convicted. His attorney was informed these charges stem from alleged meetings with Israeli intelligence operatives.

According to Ramsey, Iran frequently adds espionage charges as a way to signal that a detainee will only be released through a prisoner exchange with Washington.