WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush on Friday called on Tehran to release four detained Iranian-Americans "immediately and unconditionally."
"Several of our fellow American citizens -- including Haleh Esfandiari, Parnaz Azima, Kian Tajbakhsh and Ali Shakeri -- are being held against their will by the Iranian regime," Bush said in a statement released by the White House. "I strongly condemn their detention at the hands of Iranian authorities."
Authorities have confirmed that Esfandiari, Azima and Tajbakhsh are in custody, but the government has not provided any public information regarding the whereabouts of Shakeri.
According to Human Rights Watch, Shakeri was detained during a recent trip to Iran.
Earlier this week, Iran formally charged Esfandiari with trying to topple the government, according to an Iranian judiciary official. (Full story)
Esfandiari, 67, who works for the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington, was jailed in Tehran on May 8 and Tajbakhsh, a sociologist, was picked up two days later.
Tajbakhsh, 45, is an independent consultant and urban planner employed by U.S. philanthropist George Soros' Open Society Institute.
Authorities have also confiscated the passport of Azima, a reporter for the Persian-language services of Radio Free Europe who holds both Iranian and American citizenship, according to Radio Free Europe.
Bush condemns Tehran's detention of Iranian-Americans - CNN.com
It's about time he says something about this crap! Like someone employed by George Soros is looking to raise hell in Iran.....what a joke!
Have a good one!:s4:
