US-Iranian Kamran Hekmati Released From Evin Prison, Travel Ban Remains

September 8, 2026 at 12:02 AM2 min

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Iranian-American Kamran Hekmati has been released from Tehran's Evin Prison, sources told RFE/RL's Radio Farda, but remains barred from leaving Iran. The release, reported on September 5, has not been officially confirmed by Iranian authorities. Hekmati, 71, was designated wrongfully detained by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in March.

Key Facts

Kamran Hekmati, 71, was released from Evin Prison on September 5, according to sources cited by RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
Hekmati was sentenced to four years in prison for traveling to Israel over a decade earlier, later reduced to two years.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Hekmati as wrongfully detained in March.
Hekmati's family says he suffers from aggressive bladder cancer and was denied specialized treatment in detention.
Reza Valizadeh, a former Radio Farda correspondent, remains imprisoned at Evin and has appealed for medical assistance for detained Americans.

Release and Travel Ban

Kamran Hekmati was released from Evin Prison on September 5, sources told RFE/RL's Radio Farda. He remains unable to leave Iran due to a travel ban. The release has not been officially confirmed by Iranian authorities. The Jerusalem Post, citing Iranian sources, also reported the release.

Detention and Sentence

Hekmati traveled to Iran in May 2025 to visit relatives on his Iranian passport and was detained two months later. Tehran's Revolutionary Court sentenced him to four years in prison for having traveled to Israel for a religious ceremony over a decade earlier. His sentence was later reduced to two years after a change in the law governing such travel. Holders of Iranian passports are barred from traveling to Israel.

Health and Other Detainees

Hekmati's family has repeatedly raised concerns over his health, saying he suffers from aggressive bladder cancer and has been denied access to proper specialized treatment in detention. Reza Valizadeh, a former Radio Farda correspondent, remains imprisoned at Evin. In a recorded phone call from inside the prison in June, Valizadeh appealed to the US government to secure medical assistance for himself and other detained Americans. Valizadeh said four US citizens held at Evin were suffering from various illnesses without access to real medical care.