Kamran Hekmati released from Iranian prison but remains under exit ban

Kamran Hekmati, an Iranian-American jeweler from Great Neck Estates, New York, has been released from Tehran’s Evin prison but remains under an Iranian exit ban, preventing his return to the United States.

Hekmati, who is 62 and battling bladder cancer, had been serving a sentence for allegedly violating Iran’s ban on citizens visiting Israel. His family and legal advocates maintain that his last visit to Israel occurred 13 years ago, which would fall outside the 10-year restriction cited by authorities.

The U.S. Department of State has classified Hekmati as a wrongful detainee. While his release from prison is a significant development, officials and family members expressed concern regarding his health and his inability to leave the country amid ongoing conflict between Iran, the U.S., and Israel. U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi described the imprisonment as part of a “dangerous pattern of malign behavior by the Iranian regime.”