U.S. Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo praised passage of S.Con.Res 16, a
concurrent resolution authored by Risch and cosponsored by Crapo, which
calls for the release of four Americans being held prisoner in Iran
before any sanctions relief is granted to Iran.
The legislation calls for the release of four Americans being held as
political prisoners in Iran and directs the administration to use all
diplomatic tools at its disposal to do that. The four Americans being
held in Iran are Pastor Saeed Abedini of Boise, former U.S. Marine Amir
Hekmati, former FBI agent Robert Levinson, and Washington Post
journalist Jason Rezaian.
“Today nearly every member of the Senate has called on President Obama
to use every diplomatic tool in the box to make sure Pastor Saeed
Abedini and the three other Americans being held by Iran are released,”
said Risch. “We will continue to battle to obtain the release of Pastor
Abedini.”
“The Administration must make securing the release of Pastor Saeed
Abedini and other Americans wrongly detained in Iran the highest
priority in our dealings with the Iranian regime,” said Crapo. “The
President must insist on the release of these individuals before any
sanction relief is granted. I join all of my colleagues today in again
pressing the Administration to do everything in its power to ensure
their quick and safe return home.”
The Risch resolution to free Pastor Saeed Abedini and three other
Americans passed the full Senate 90-0. It passed on the heels of
legislation passed last week which required any deal with Iran by the
administration be submitted to Congress to review and vote on any final
agreement.
