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A New York jeweler has been released from prison in Iran but is banned from leaving war-torn country

The State Department says Iran should lift the exit ban so Hekmati can return home after serving about half of a two-year sentence.

  • On September 5, Iranian authorities released 71-year-old Long Island jeweler Kamran Hekmati from Tehran's Evin prison after he served over a year of a two-year sentence, though he remains prohibited from leaving Iran.
  • Iranian authorities detained Hekmati for violating a law banning citizens from visiting Israel, citing his attendance at his son's bar mitzvah 13 years ago, despite that visit occurring before the law's passage.
  • Hekmati's family remains "desperately afraid for his health and well-being" as the 71-year-old requires regular medical checkups to ensure his bladder cancer does not relapse, according to family statements.
  • The State Department officially classifies Hekmati as "wrongfully detained" and continues calling on Iran to lift the exit ban so he can return to the United States.
  • Hekmati's case reflects a broader pattern where Iranian authorities hold Americans to obtain political concessions, including Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh, who remains imprisoned in the same high-security facility.
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A New York jeweler has been released from prison in Iran but is banned from leaving war-torn country

A New York jeweler has been released from prison in Iran, but he is prohibited from leaving the country.

·New York, United States
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New York Post broke the news in New York, United States on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
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