On Wednesday, June 17, the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation welcomed efforts to end hostilities between the United States and Iran and reduce the risk of further escalation, while expressing concern over the situation of Americans detained in Iran.
The Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization established in memory of the late journalist James Foley. It works to combat hostage-taking around the world, including in Iran, advocates for the release of hostages, and promotes moral courage.
The Foley Foundation monitors the cases of journalists and U.S. citizens detained in countries such as Iran and urges the U.S. government to make their release a diplomatic priority.
In its statement, the Foundation said it was "deeply concerned that Americans detained in Iran or those barred from leaving the country appear not to have been addressed in the reported framework agreement."
The statement comes amid reports that the understanding reached between Iran and the United States addressed "other important issues" while postponing "certain unresolved matters, including Iran's nuclear program, to future negotiations."
The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation emphasized that "these future talks present a critical opportunity to prioritize the freedom and safe return of Americans."
The Foundation estimates that at least five U.S. citizens are either unjustly imprisoned in Iran or subject to unfair exit bans preventing them from returning home.
Two of those individuals, Reza Valizadeh and Kamran Hekmati, have been designated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as "wrongfully detained" and remain imprisoned in Tehran's Evin Prison.
The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation also expressed concern that an unknown number of additional Americans, beyond those whose cases have been publicly reported, may likewise be detained by the Islamic Republic.
The Foundation called on U.S. officials to make the release of all of these individuals the highest priority in the broader negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
