Baquer Namazi, who was detained in Iran for more than six years for allegedly collaborating with a foreign government, used his first public appearance since being released in October 2022 to urge President Joe Biden to do more to bring his son Siamak Namazi home.
“I implore President Biden, who is by the way himself a father, to show the same courage Siamak has been showing for years,” said Mr Namazi during an online press conference.
Speaking from Dubai, Mr Namazi was flanked by his other son Babak, who first advocated his father's and now his brother’s release.
The 86-year-old former UN official was detained in 2016 while trying to visit Siamak, who holds both US and Iranian citizenship and has been held since October 2015 on espionage charges.
While in Iran, Mr Namazi was sentenced to 10 years in prison but he was released on medical grounds in 2018. His sentence was ultimately commuted but he was barred from leaving the country.
He was finally permitted to seek medical treatment outside of Iran late last year.
Though relieved to be free, Mr Namazi said his freedom remains incomplete without Siamak next to him.
“Having to leave Iran while my son remained at the mercy of the Iranian government shattered my heart,” he told reporters.
Siamak spoke to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour from inside Evin prison on Thursday.
“I’ve been a hostage for seven and a half years now. That’s six times the duration of the hostage crisis,” he said, referring to the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, when 52 American diplomats and citizens were held captive for more than 400 days.
He added that he feels “abandoned” by the US government.
“I desperately need President Biden to finally hear us out, to finally hear our cry for help and bring us home,” he said.
Siamak's interview comes less than a week after he joined two other detained Americans — Emad Shargi, a businessman and Morad Tahbaz, a conservationist — in writing a letter to Mr Biden, pleading for help.
In his interview with CNN, Siamak said he has still not heard back from the US leader.
The families of the detained men have been pressing the Biden administration for a meeting for more than two years, but have so far been unable to secure a face-to-face with the President, which they believe is imperative to win their loved ones' release.
“We believe, if we can meet with the President, there is no way he cannot be moved,” said Babak Namazi.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Copa del Rey
Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New schools in Dubai
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset was due to a personal matter.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
