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.
Dec. 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.
