TEHRAN — Kamran Hekmati was released from Evin Prison in Tehran on Sept. 5, but he remains prohibited from leaving Iran. The U.S. State Department called on Iran to lift the exit ban so that Hekmati may return home.

Iranian authorities arrested Hekmati in July 2025 after seizing his passport in May 2025 while he was trying to fly out of Tehran airport. He completed about half of a two-year sentence before his release.

Hekmati was charged under an Iranian law banning citizens from visiting Israel within the last 10 years. His family states his last trip to Israel was 13 years ago for his son’s bar mitzvah. The trial lasted about 10 minutes and was conducted without a lawyer or witnesses present. Tehran’s Revolutionary Court initially sentenced him to four years in prison, but the sentence was reduced to two years after the statute was amended.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement regarding the detention. "We welcome Mr. Hekmati’s release from detention and continue to call on the Iranian regime to lift the exit ban so that he may return home," a State Department spokesperson said. U.S. Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-N.Y.) advocated for the State Department to officially designate Hekmati as wrongfully detained earlier this year.

"Mr. Hekmati did nothing wrong," Suozzi said. "We cannot rest until he is reunited with his family." Up to eight other Americans who have not been publicly named are prohibited from leaving Iran.

Hekmati and Reza Valizadeh are the two Americans officially designated as wrongfully detained in Iran. Valizadeh has been imprisoned in Iran since 2024. Valizadeh obtained U.S. citizenship in 2022 and worked for Radio Farda in Washington, D.C. Radio Farda is the Persian-language arm of Radio Free Europe, which receives U.S. government funding. Valizadeh was charged with collaborating with the U.S. government.

Valizadeh said prison officials have not allowed his family to visit for the past five months. He described physical pressure and mental torture in a recording obtained in June. "Diseases that were eradicated decades ago have returned inside the prison, including pulmonary and gastrointestinal tuberculosis," Valizadeh said in the voice message.

Hekmati requires regular medical checkups for bladder cancer. He turned 62 in August. Hekmati immigrated to the U.S. from Iran roughly 14 years ago.

He owns a jewelry business in Manhattan’s Diamond District and lives in Great Neck Estates on Long Island. Shohreh Nowfar is Hekmati’s cousin.

Why It Matters

The release of Kamran Hekmati from Evin Prison shows the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran. While Hekmati is no longer incarcerated, the exit ban prevents his return to the U.S. where he lives with his family. The case reflects the risks faced by dual nationals and Americans traveling to or through Iran.

The situation also draws attention to other Americans held in Iran, including Reza Valizadeh, who faces charges of collaborating with the U.S. government. With up to eight other unnamed Americans also prohibited from leaving the country, the Hekmati case serves as a focal point for broader diplomatic efforts to secure the freedom of U.S. citizens detained abroad. Advocates and officials continue to press for the lifting of travel restrictions as a necessary step toward full resolution.

Timeline

Reza Valizadeh obtained U.S. citizenship in 2022. Reza Valizadeh has been imprisoned in Iran since 2024. Iranian authorities seized Kamran Hekmati’s passport in May 2025 while he was trying to fly out of Tehran airport.

Reza Valizadeh described physical pressure and mental torture in a recording obtained in June. Iranian authorities arrested Kamran Hekmati in July 2025. Kamran Hekmati turned 62 in August. Kamran Hekmati was released from Evin Prison in Tehran on Sept. 5.

What's New

Later reporting established that Kamran Hekmati immigrated to the U.S. from Iran roughly 14 years ago. A State Department spokesperson stated, "We welcome Mr. Hekmati’s release from detention and continue to call on the Iranian regime to lift the exit ban so that he may return home." Additional details revealed that Kamran Hekmati’s sentence was reduced to two years after the statute was amended, following an initial four-year sentence by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. Reports also indicated that Kamran Hekmati’s trial lasted about 10 minutes and was conducted without a lawyer or witnesses present. Furthermore, Reza Valizadeh described physical pressure and mental torture in a recording obtained in June.