Iran releases American woman detained since 2024, Trump says

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran has released Dena Karari, an American woman who was reportedly detained in Iran for more than a year and a half. Trump shared the news on Truth Social, stating she was detained in December 2024 under the Biden administration and was recently allowed to leave the country.

Karari, an Iranian-American, was accused of espionage related to her work with the Children of Mehr Foundation, a U.S.-registered nonprofit aiding impoverished children in Iran, her attorney Jared Genser told Fox News. Genser said Karari was never formally imprisoned but was held under a coercive exit ban and interrogated numerous times by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

Following her release, Trump expressed gratitude to Iran, calling it a “gesture of goodwill.” He said she was now safe and in good condition. Her release marks the first time an American has been freed from Iranian custody since 2023, amid ongoing military tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Genser urged Iran to drop all remaining charges against those involved with the Children of Mehr Foundation and called for the release of other Americans held in Iran, including those subjected to coercive exit bans and political prisoners. Sources previously indicated Iran may have been holding more than eight Americans and residents, exceeding publicly known cases, including detainees Kamran Hekmati and Reza Valizadeh.

The U.S. State Department has long condemned Iran’s practice of detaining foreign nationals as leverage for political negotiations. Experts say Tehran often treats dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens, complicating consular access. The recent release follows a prisoner swap in September 2023, where the U.S. freed five Americans in exchange for $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds, according to officials.

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