Two Americans arrested during Iranian espionage crackdown

Two American citizens were arrested in Iran during the 12-day war between Israel and the Islamic Republic, according to KAN, an Israeli public broadcaster. The apprehensions were part of Iran’s effort to limit spying and shore up national security through arrests of those deemed to have links with Israel.

One of the Americans, a resident of New York, remains imprisoned. The other, a Los Angeles resident, has been released on bail. Both men are Jewish and have Iranian roots.

They were among more than 700 people taken into custody, accused of spying and working with countries hostile to Iran. A number of individuals have also reportedly been executed.

Returning to Iran

Despite the wave of arrests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has recently called for Iranians abroad to return to the country. He has urged judicial coordination, as many fear they may be arrested upon returning to Iran.

“These individuals are also assets of this land,” Pezeshkian said during a recent meeting of Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

Travel advisory

Both men were reportedly visiting family in Iran, despite a warning from the U.S. State Department advising Americans against traveling to the country. 

“Americans, including Iranian-Americans and other Dual-Nationals have been wrongly detained — taken hostage — by the Iranian Government for months, and years,” the warning said. “The threat of detention is even greater today, do not travel to Iran under any circumstances.”

On March 31, the State Department issued a Level 4, or “Do Not Travel” advisory for Iran, “due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens, and wrongful detention.”