Jewish American grandfather, 70, among 4 US citizens held by Iran

Iran has a long history of using politically motivated detentions of dual nationals as bargaining chips, often to seek sanctions relief or secure the release of Iranians jailed in the West on terror-related charges.

In addition, an Iranian American journalist is serving a 10-year sentence, while another Iranian American woman has been released from prison but is banned from leaving the country and is facing espionage charges. Iranian officials confirmed the arrests to the Times, describing them as part of a broader campaign against individuals allegedly linked to the U.S. and Israel.

In response to the deteriorating situation, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory warning Americans—including dual nationals—not to travel to Iran “under any circumstances.” The advisory, issued in English and Farsi, warned that American citizens are at increased risk of arbitrary arrest and hostage-taking by the Iranian government.

The Iranian American community reacted with alarm, noting a rise in politically motivated detentions since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas. Among those speaking out was Siamak Namazi, an Iranian American businessman who was released from Iranian captivity in 2023. Namazi noted the deepening pattern of such detentions, which echo the longstanding history of prisoner swaps between Tehran and Washington dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the U.S. embassy hostage crisis.

The latest complaint was filed in U.S. federal court in the District of Columbia and joins a similar case already underway in a Manhattan federal court. Plaintiffs—American citizens living in both the United States and Israel—are seeking compensatory, punitive and exemplary damages.

At the center of the legal action are claims that UNRWA facilitated access for terrorist organizations to its facilities and allowed its civilian infrastructure to be used for military purposes. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States.

The lawsuits were made possible after the U.S. Department of Justice, under the Trump administration, reversed a prior decision that had granted UNRWA diplomatic immunity from legal proceedings in American courts. Under the Biden administration, attorneys for UNRWA had argued the agency was shielded from such lawsuits. However, the April policy reversal has allowed the new case to proceed and may pave the way for additional legal actions and potential sanctions.

The Times report noted that these developments are weakening UNRWA’s operational capacity and jeopardizing its future. The legal turmoil comes amid mounting global concern over humanitarian conditions in Gaza, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres warning last week that the agency is nearing collapse. In a public letter, Guterres identified the Israeli legislation as a key factor in the crisis.