American scholar Haleh Esfandiari was released on bail today after more than 100 days in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, according to family members, but there was no word on whether or when she would be allowed to return to the United States.
Esfandiari, director of Middle East programs at the Smithsonian’s Woodrow Wilson Center, is one of at least four Americans detained in Iran. It is unclear whether the government intends to try her or any of the others.
The Iranian government said Esfandiari had been involved in unspecified “crimes against national security” with the goal of helping U.S. efforts at fomenting a “soft revolution” in Iran.
Esfandiari was released today on $333,000 bail and was resting at her mother’s home in Tehran. Her mother put up the deed to her apartment to secure Esfandiari’s release, according to family members.
“This is encouraging news and the United States welcomes this,” said National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
The sudden release follows an appeal by former congressman Lee Hamilton, president of the Woodrow Wilson Center, in a letter directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“I appealed to him on the basis of his religious views,” Hamilton said in a conference call with reporters today. “I assured him that we had seen Haleh devote tireless efforts to understanding the culture and traditions of Iran and I asked on humanitarian grounds for his help in obtaining the release of Haleh so she could rejoin her family.”
Hamilton also said in his letter that he would personally devote “considerable time to trying to further respect and understanding between the two cultures.”
Hamilton was co-author of the Iraq Study Group report that recommended that the Bush administration attempt diplomacy with Tehran.
In an unusual move, Khamenei’s office responded two weeks ago to Hamilton’s letter. Hamilton went to the Iranian mission at the United Nations to receive the two paragraph note, which was unsigned. In it, the ayatollah said he was “pleased” with Hamilton’s communication and his “commitment to peace and justice” and indicated that he had given instructions to address the issue of Esfandiari’s detention, though he did not use her name, Hamilton said.
Hamilton said he had a “long list” of individuals and other countries that had played a role in communicating with Iran about Esfandiari’s arrest, but he said the United States had not played a role.
“I throughout all of this have tried not to involve Haleh’s case in the difficult problems between the United States and Iran,” Hamilton said. “At all times, the administration was supportive and helpful. But they played no direct role as far as I know in contacting Iranian officials about Haleh.”
Hamilton expressed deep concern about Esfandiari’s health after her eight month ordeal. During her solitary confinement, she has lost considerable weight, he said. She weighed 104 pounds at her arrest.
“We rejoice at the news of Haleh’s release. This has been a long and trying ordeal for her and her family. Her physical and mental well-being are now the urgent priority for us,” he said.
The 67-year-old grandmother was in Tehran in December last year visiting her ailing 93-year-old mother when was put under virtual house arrest. She was taken to prison on May 8.
“I’m delighted that she’s finally out of Evin Prison. We look forward to her being able to come home without delay,” said Esfandiari’s husband, Shaul Bakhash, a George Mason University professor.
“They accepted her mother’s apartment for bail, which means there are charges against her. But I’m hoping that they will give her passport and let her come home as soon as possible. She’s now far from her family and grandchildren nearly eight months and it is time that they allowed her to come home,” he said.
The Iranian judiciary told reporters in Tehran that the bail was set at $333,000.
The detention of the dual American-Iranian nationals has been one of several sources of growing tension between the United States and Iran, along with Iran’s activities in Iraq and its controversial nuclear program.
In a statement, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) said Esfandiari’s release was a good first step. She said he hoped that it signaled the impending release of other detainees.
State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos called on Iran to release all the Americans. “Our position has always been that Esfandiari as well as the other three have done nothing wrong, should not have been in the situation they found themselves in and should be free right now,” he said.
Another American being held is Kian Tajbakhsh, a New York based social scientist who had been working on health and anti-drug programs in Tehran in cooperation with the Iranian government. He was a consultant for George Soros’ Open Society Institute.
Esfandiari’s release follows the airing of a two-part documentary on Iranian television last month in which she and Tajbakhsh spoke about their activities on behalf of two think tanks. Neither said anything incriminating.
The other two Americans being detained are Ali Shakeri, a California businessman, who was picked up at Tehran’s international airport as he was leaving just hours before Esfandiari, and Parnaz Azima, a correspondent for U.S.-funded Radio Farda.
Shakeri and Azima were also in Iran visiting ailing mothers. Shakeri’s mother died while he was in Tehran.
