The Washington Post last week launched a new campaign to win the freedom of its Tehran bureau chief, Jason Rezaian, who’s been held in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison for nine months.
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) backed the #freejason drive with a joint statement: “The Obama administration should demand Mr. Rezaian’s immediate release along with all other Americans wrongfully imprisoned in Iran prior to concluding a nuclear deal with this brutal regime.”
Those other Americans include Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedino and Bob Levinson.
Things just got worse for Rezaian: Iran charged him with espionage, “collaborating with hostile governments” and “propaganda against the establishment.” If convicted, he faces 10 to 20 years in prison.
Once again: The US government invites hostage-taking when it lets foreign powers treat a US citizen as they fancy. It’s worse when US diplomats let the issue lie.
At a minimum, the president could put Tehran on notice that he needs to sell that nuke deal at home — a sales job that’d go a lot easier if Iran made a show of good faith by releasing the Americans it’s holding captive.