This week marks two years that Iranian American journalist Reza Valizadeh has been detained in Iran. For a decade, he worked for Radio Farda, an independent, U.S.-government-funded Farsi-language news service. Valizadeh resigned in 2022 and returned to Iran in 2024 to visit family, where he was arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison for collaborating with a hostile government. He is currently held in Evin prison.
His attorney, Ryan Fayhee, discussed the challenges of Valizadeh's case, noting that he lacks family support in the U.S. and that the ongoing conflict complicates advocacy efforts. Fayhee mentioned that Valizadeh has several untreated medical conditions and has gone on hunger strikes during his detention. He expressed concern for Valizadeh's health, stating that conditions in the prison are poor, with overcrowding and a lack of food.
Valizadeh recently sent an audio message from prison, stating that his ten-year sentence is insignificant compared to the suffering of families searching for loved ones. He declined an offer from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to betray colleagues, choosing instead to remain in prison.
Fayhee highlighted a pattern of Iran detaining dual citizens and warned that the Iranian government is eager to bring money back into the country, especially amid economic challenges exacerbated by war. Valizadeh has been officially designated as wrongfully detained by the U.S. government.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently expressed concern that Iranian authorities might take arbitrary actions that could endanger Valizadeh's life. Fayhee emphasized the importance of prioritizing Valizadeh's case in negotiations with Iran, arguing that it should be addressed in every engagement between the two sides. He expressed hope that the administration values Valizadeh's case as they have indicated.