Iran Releases Jewish American Kamran Hikmati From Prison but Maintains Travel Ban
Jewish Iranian-American citizen Kamran Hikmati has been released from Tehran's Evin Prison but remains barred from leaving Iran due to an active travel ban.
Iranian sources reported on Monday that Kamran Hikmati, a Jewish Iranian-American citizen who was imprisoned in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, was released on Saturday night. However, a travel ban imposed on him by Iranian authorities remains in effect, preventing him from returning to his home in the United States. The Iranian government has not yet officially announced his release.
Hikmati was arrested in July 2025 and subsequently imprisoned after a Tehran court convicted him for a trip he made to Israel 13 years prior to attend his son's Bar Mitzvah. According to his family and human rights organizations monitoring the case, the trial lasted only about ten minutes and was conducted without the presence of a defense attorney or any witnesses.
A Ten-Minute Trial Without Defense
According to claims by his family and supporting organizations, the legal proceedings against Hikmati were conducted without legal representation or the opportunity to present witnesses. The visit to Israel, which took place more than a decade before his arrest, was the central basis for the conviction that led to his imprisonment.
Although reports indicate that Hikmati is no longer held in Evin Prison, his release does not currently allow him to leave Iran. The travel ban remains in force, and no timeline has been provided for when, if ever, it will be lifted. Iranian authorities have yet to issue an official statement confirming the release or detailing its conditions.
