Dear John,
Today brought welcome news that has been overdue for years: Iranian Americans who have been wrongly imprisoned in Iran, in some cases for years, have been granted furlough from Evin prison. This is just a first step and, if plans bear out, they will be allowed to leave Iran and reunite with their loved ones in a matter of weeks.
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According to reports, Iranian funds currently frozen in South Korea by U.S. sanctions will also be released to Qatar to be utilized by Iran for humanitarian purchases. This is welcome news given that medicine and food shortages continue to plague Iran and humanitarian purchases are already supposed to be exempt from sanctions. If Iranian Americans are freed and funds can be used to help ordinary people in Iran, this is a win-win.
While some political actors will undoubtedly try to criticize this news because it does not adhere to an absolutist ideology of "maximum pressure," I simply cannot fathom how allowing innocent Iranian Americans to rot in Evin prison and blocking food and medicine purchases for ordinary Iranians is a good thing. How many people have to suffer as collateral damage for a failed approach that has only hurt the people and benefitted Iran's authoritarians?
We will be tracking the implementation of this swap very closely and will have more to share in the days to come. We are hopeful that the diplomacy being conducted through regional interlocutors will continue and deliver real results for ordinary people. It is impossible to make up for the time that has been robbed from the prisoners, but we hope this furlough is an irreversible step toward their full freedom and that one day all prisoners of conscience detained in Iran will be free.
Best,
Jamal
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