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There has been tension between Iran and the United States since
U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision last May to pull out of
an international nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions on Tehran.
"Marzieh Hashemi has been released from her detention without
charge and is with her family in Washington D.C.," state
television said, quoting a statement issued by the family soon
after she was freed on Wednesday.
"They still have serious grievances and they want assurances
that this won’t happen to any Muslim – or any other person –
ever again."
Hashemi will stay in Washington DC for a protest on Friday and
she urged protesters in cities across the world to stick to
their plans for the protest, Press TV said in a statement.
Hashemi, 59, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) at St. Louis Lambert International Airport and transferred
to a detention center in Washington D.C., where she was held for
two days before managing to contact her family, Press TV said.
U.S. federal law allows the government to arrest and detain a
witness if it can prove their testimony is material to a
criminal proceeding and it cannot guarantee their presence
through a subpoena.
Hashemi was born Melanie Franklin in the United States and
changed her name after converting to Islam. She received Iranian
citizenship after marrying an Iranian. She had traveled to the
United States to visit her family, Press TV said.
Several Iranian dual nationals from Austria, Britain, Canada,
France and the United States have been detained in the past few
years in Iran on charges such as espionage and collaborating
with hostile governments.
(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
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