American Dad Imprisoned in Iran Warns of Hostage-Taking and Urges Stronger Policies to Protect Innocent People

Emad Shargi, an American father who was imprisoned in Iran for over five years on what he calls “ludicrous” charges, is speaking out about his harrowing experience and issuing a warning about the ongoing issue of hostage-taking. Shargi, along with four other Americans, was released in September as part of a prisoner swap deal between the U.S. and Iran.

The deal, which involved the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds, has faced criticism and scrutiny following an attack by Hamas on Israel. Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., has historically maintained strong ties with Iran. Shargi believes that hostage-taking is not limited to his own case and urges the United States and Europe to develop stronger policies to prevent innocent people from being taken as hostages.

But why was Shargi in Iran in the first place? As a dual citizen of the U.S. and Iran, Shargi spent his childhood in Tehran before moving to the U.S., where he met his wife and started a business. In 2016, he and his wife decided to return to Iran, believing that the country presented new opportunities following a nuclear deal reached the year before.

However, Shargi's father had warned him about the risks of being a dual national in Iran. Despite his father's concerns, Shargi did not anticipate what would happen to him on April 23, 2018. Armed agents raided his Tehran home, leaving his wife behind but taking him to Evin Prison, where he was placed in a special ward run by Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Shargi describes the dehumanizing treatment he endured in prison. He was given a code number instead of his name and subjected to physical and psychological torture, including threats of electrical shocks, waterboarding, and hanging. Despite the interrogations lasting for hours each day, Shargi maintains that he had nothing to confess and believes he was taken as a hostage to extract a price from the U.S.

After eight months of interrogation, Shargi was released on bail in December 2018, but his ordeal was not over. His case was sent to the Revolutionary Court, where Judge Abolqasem Salavati, known as the hanging judge, sentenced him to 10 years in prison in November 2020. Before he had to report back to prison, Shargi attempted to escape with the help of smugglers but was caught by an Iranian patrol.

Back in the U.S., Shargi's family launched a public campaign for his release and sought help from the State Department. The Biden administration was engaged in negotiations with Iran for the release of American detainees and the renewal of the Iran nuclear deal. Shargi's family also reached out to Iran's top diplomat, who acknowledged internal opposition to the deal.

Finally, in September, a deal was reached, granting clemency to five Iranians accused of nonviolent crimes and securing the release of Shargi and four other Americans. However, less than three weeks later, Hamas launched an attack on Israel, leading to calls from some members of Congress to block Iran's access to the released funds due to its support of Hamas.

Shargi, now reunited with his family, expresses empathy for the families of hostages and hopes for their safe return. His experience serves as a stark reminder of the challenges involved in bringing American citizens home from captivity and the need for stronger policies to prevent hostage-taking in the future.