Overview: Advocates say at least four U.S. nationals were detained in Iran before recent U.S.-Israeli strikes and are now at heightened risk as bombing continues. Two men publicly named — Reza Valizadeh and Kamran Hekmati — were held at Tehran's Evin Prison and have not been contacted since the strikes began. Lawyers and former officials warn of the dual dangers of military strikes against the prison and reprisals inside, and are calling for urgent diplomatic steps and medical protections for detainees.
Fears Grow for U.S. Nationals Held at Evin Prison as Bombing Continues in Iran
Reza Valizadeh is seen in an undated photo provided by his family. / Credit: Valizadeh Family via AP(Valizadeh Family via AP)
Advocates and lawyers are increasingly alarmed for at least four U.S. nationals believed to have been detained in Iran before the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes, as intense bombing and military activity continue across the country.
Two Americans have been publicly identified: 49-year-old journalist Abdolreza "Reza" Valizadeh, whom the U.S. State Department formally designated as "wrongfully detained" by Iran in May 2025, and 61-year-old Kamran Hekmati, who was arrested in July 2025 while visiting family. Both men were held at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison before the outbreak of sustained hostilities, and there has been no confirmed information on their whereabouts or condition since the strikes began.
Nonprofit groups tracking wrongful detentions say they are monitoring at least two additional U.S. nationals believed to be in custody in Iran, though those identities have not been independently confirmed.
Why Concerns Are Escalating
Experts warn of two overlapping dangers: the risk that Evin Prison could be hit in a military strike and the risk of violence inside the prison. Evin has been targeted in past strikes, including during a 12-day conflict in June 2025.
"Evin Prison...was actually bombed during the 12-day war. So we have this risk of Evin Prison being hit in some kind of kinetic military strike," said Kieran Ramsey, a retired FBI assistant director and chief investigative officer at Global Reach, an organization that works to bring home Americans wrongfully held abroad.
Ramsey and others also cite the potential for reprisals by guards or other prisoners against detainees singled out for their nationality or religion. Advocates say that concern is acute in Hekmati’s case because he is both American and Jewish.
Background on The Named Detainees
Abdolreza “Reza” Valizadeh: A former journalist with Radio Farda (the Persian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty), Valizadeh became a U.S. citizen in 2022. He traveled to Iran in 2024 to visit family and was detained days after arriving by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and taken to Evin. According to legal filings, he endured weeks of intense interrogation and isolation. Iranian authorities publicly acknowledged the arrest only after a delay; in December 2024 he was sentenced to 10 years on charges including "collaborating with a hostile government." His family reports he has asthma and has been denied medication while imprisoned.
Kamran Hekmati: A Long Island resident and jewelry business owner who emigrated from Iran after the 1979 revolution, Hekmati was prevented from leaving Iran in May 2024 and formally arrested in July 2025. Advocates say he was charged under a law restricting Iranians who have visited Israel within 10 years, although they assert Hekmati had not been to Israel for 13 years; he was also convicted on a charge of meeting with alleged Mossad agents.
Diplomatic Efforts and Official Responses
U.S. officials and lawyers say diplomatic channels were active before the strikes: Valizadeh’s name reportedly appeared on lists discussed in recent negotiations. Lawyers have urged the U.S. and Israeli authorities to exercise caution around Evin to avoid endangering detainees, while nonprofit advocates have called for the detainees to be used as a possible diplomatic off-ramp to de-escalate the conflict.
"The military strikes have interrupted what I hoped was a conversation about Reza... If the Iranians are looking for an off-ramp, that's to release American citizens that are being held, including Reza, including Kamran Hekmati," said Ryan Fayhee, Valizadeh’s attorney.
The State Department confirmed it is aware of reports that Americans were detained in Iran prior to the conflict and said it is providing consular support where possible, urging Iran to release U.S. nationals immediately. The White House reiterated that returning wrongfully detained Americans safely is a priority and warned of consequences for regimes that use people as political pawns.
What’s At Stake
With communications to detainees cut off amid the strikes and the risk of direct attacks or prison unrest, advocates warn the situation is urgent. Families, lawyers and former officials are pressing for immediate, coordinated diplomatic action and for authorities to prioritize the safety and medical care of those held in Iran.
Reporting Note: Details about two other Americans believed detained in Iran have been reported by nonprofits but have not been independently confirmed by U.S. officials or media outlets.
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